Shades of Lust
by Kyia Star
Summary: Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned; nor hell a fury like a woman scorned.-- William Congreve
1. A spell

Summary: Naru and the others are about to learn that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned and lust spells are dangerous indeed. Slight crossover with CLAMP in some chapters—very slight, but you've been warned. Ghost Hunt manga and anime compliant.

Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt, or anything by CLAMP used herein.

A big thank you to my fabulous beta-reader **TitianWren**—who had to read about two different (almost) versions of this chapter. I seriously don't know what I'd do without her. All I can say is I'd have mistakes up the wazoo if not for her.

**Chapter one: Unusual circumstances**

_He's… he's going to ask that little tramp out! How dare he!_

_You don't want that?_

Startled, her head shot up and she looked around the room wildly._ Who's there?_

_Why do you care who he dates?_

_He dumped me for her! I hate her!_

_So you want to punish him?_

_Punish? She probably seduced him!_

_So it's her who caused the betrayal?_

_Yes! The little whore, how dare she!_

_Then it's her you want to punish?_

_I do! I most definitely do! He's mine! We were meant to be together forever!_

_Then I can help you. I can help you rid his mind of what poison she's put there._

_You can?_

_Yes, for a price._

_Who are you?_

_Think of me as your guardian angel._

_Where are you, though?_

She got the impression of a slow smile and a manicured hand sliding through her hair._ Within you,_ came the slow, thought-out answer.

_What price?_

_Hate her. That will suffice enough for now._

Her heart turned black._ I do. I do hate her! Help me!_

She felt another smile that caused shivers to run down her spine._ Now close your eyes and we'll begin._

Her eyelids were suddenly very heavy and they fluttered shut.

………

In retrospect, Mai decided, dropping her stuff so she could run faster was a big mistake; she could have used it to hit her current assailants, who happened to be two upper-classmen from her school. They weren't the only ones that were acting oddly; the entire male student-body and a few male teachers had all been odd ducks for the past week! Except…none of _them_ had chased her from school. The bad thing was that she'd been caught only twenty-feet from Shibuya Psychic Research. When the stairs leading up to the office where she worked had come into view, she'd dropped her book bag and the large paper bag filled with chocolates and a vase of flowers; it was about to break anyways—Mai was surprised it lasted until the SPR building. She'd been hoping and praying that she would make it into SPR before they caught her. Once inside, she could lock the door and hopefully Naru, Lin, or both would be able to take it from there. That plan grated on her independency, but as the saying went, desperate times call for desperate measures. _No such luck,_ she thought, struggling against the hands that held her.

"Come on, Taniyama! Why ya gotta be such a tease?"

The boy holding her arms leered at her and laughed at his sandy-haired cohort. "Nice one, Kichiro!"

_What's up with these two,_ she wondered. _They're class clowns, sure—but they've never pulled pranks that cause physical harm. I've never seen them act like this!_

Kichiro grabbed her hair, jerked her head back, and leaned in close. "Come on, Taniyama-_chan_," he said in a sugary voice, "it's just a kiss. But we'll see where it goes from there," he finished, drawing nearer and nearer.

She began to struggle in earnest. Tears of pain and fear slipped down her cheeks as she tried to escape from Takahiro's hold. _Someone help me! Naru, Bou-san, John, anyone,_ she thought desperately, scrunching her eyes closed and still trying to get loose before Kichiro could kiss her.

"Taniyama-san?"

Kichiro paused and looked behind him, Takehiro looked up, and Mai stopped struggling; she knew that voice! Opening her eyes, she looked at Lin, willing the tears swimming in her eyes not to fall. The tall man was staring at the scene in shock: the same expression she'd seen when Madoka had made an appearance at SPR not too long ago. Taking advantage of both boys' surprise, she slipped out of their holds and charged over to her boss's assistant. "Lin-san!" she cried, diving at him, wrapping her arms around his waist, and burying her face in his side.

If Lin was nonplussed about being clung to like a leech by SPR's young employee, he didn't show it. Putting one hand on her back, he looked around, taking note of the soaked department store bag and her book bag in close proximity of each other. The two boys from her school looked surprised at his interruption and Mai was currently soaking his suit shirt and trembling violently.

"What," he asked slowly, "is going on here?" He looked at the two boys. "Well?" he asked, pinning her former assailants with an accusing look.

"Hey, hey, we're just trying to talk to Taniyama, that's all," the dark-haired boy said with an inane grin and gesturing with his hands to show that he was harmless.

"Talk?" Lin repeated incredulously. He thought back to what he'd walked up to: a struggling Mai held captive by the black-haired kid and the sandy-blond-haired boy jerking her head back and trying to force a kiss on her. He'd just returned from gathering information for Naru when he'd heard a voice call Mai a tease. Worry had spurred him into walking faster and forgetting about the stuff in the car. He didn't want to think of what he would have found had he been just a few minutes later. _If that was talking, I'll eat my tie._ "That really didn't look like talking to me," he said finally.

"Look," the sandy-haired-boy said shortly, "either way, it doesn't concern you! You can just go on your merry little way and leave Taniyama here."

Lin stared back at him. Well, he certainly was a belligerent brat, wasn't he? "I'm afraid, gentlemen, that that's where you're wrong. This is private property and you're sexually harassing our employee."

"Uh…" the dark-haired one stuttered. Taniyama had run to her _bosses_?

Lin didn't give them a chance to respond. He fixed them with a cold glare and said, "Get lost. And don't let me catch you back here again."

One thing about him could be said with certainty: he knew how to intimidate people. _Is it just me, or did the temperature just drop,_ Mai wondered, shivering. She looked up at Lin. _Oh._ She quirked a wobbly smile at the cold expression on Lin's face. _It never fails. He and Naru are almost the same._ Realizing that she was still holding onto the older man, she detached herself, took a few steps back, and clasped her hands behind her back, unsure of his reaction to her invading his personal space the way she had.

He turned to look at her, his frigid expression gone and a concerned look in its place. "Are you all right, Taniyama-san?"

She didn't answer him. She knew he'd ask, but frankly the question took her by surprise. What was 'all right'? She cringed and prepared herself for a lecture when she heard his frustrated sigh. Noticing this, Lin checked his temper; he had no reason to be upset with her. Walking over to her book bag, he scooped it up. "I thought Naru gave you the week off to make up what you missed. Don't tell me you miss working so much," he teased, moving to the other bag and picking it up gingerly. The contents caught his eye: a lovely bouquet of flowers and a multitude of chocolates. Mentally, he reviewed the calendar; it wasn't Valentine's Day and it certainly wasn't White Day. It seemed that Mai had an admirer… or two, or three. That was quite a lot of chocolate—it couldn't have come from one person only.

"My apartment's worse," she told him.

Her voice startled him from his thoughts and he turned to look at her. "Pardon?" he asked.

Her sad smile faded and her face crumpled. "I'm sorry!" she cried, burying her face in her hands and trying her best to stem the flow of tears.

"Whatever for?"

"I know Naru's going to be upset that I'm here, but I just can't take it anymore! This has been going on for the entire week!"

This wasn't like Mai at all, Lin knew. "Taniyama-san," he said carefully, "what's been happening the entire week?"

She didn't answer; she simply stood there sobbing. He looked at the flowers and then thought about the boys who'd been harassing her. What, he wondered, was going on? Approaching her, he grabbed her elbow gently and led her into the SPR office. Once inside, he deposited her bags on the counter, ushered the young woman to the couch, and gently coaxed her to sit, promising her some tea. Going over to the tea maker, he rummaged around for mint tea, instead of the normal black that Naru preferred. Mint, in his opinion, was a comforting tea that had a heavenly scent, and since he was the one making it, it was his preference that mattered.

Reaching into the cabinet, he bypassed the proper teacups and saucers and pulled out two earth-ware mugs tinted with a soothing green glaze. He rather liked them; Naru rather hated them; they'd been something of a housewarming gift from Madoka when they'd set up the SPR office here in Shibuya. And because Naru hated them so much, they were only ever used if something was very, very wrong. He glanced at the young high school girl sitting on the couch: something was obviously _very_ wrong. He hoped the young man would only notice in time before he said something caustic. The last thing Mai needed right now was Naru's apathy.

While waiting for the tea, Lin removed the flowers and chocolates, taking care not to cut himself on the glass shards littering the bottom of the bag—the vase was beyond repair. He tossed the bag into the garbage can. It didn't take him long to find another vase for them, one that Matsuzaki-san had given them on Valentine's Day; she still hadn't forgiven Naru for not giving her a return gift. He watched Mai from the corner of his eye. She looked like a zombie sitting there and staring at absolutely nothing. _If Takigawa-san were here,_ he mused, _what would he do?_ He'd know how to cheer her up, or at least pull her from her funk—he always did.

Lin would be the first to admit that he didn't deal very well with people: SPR's case in the church had proved this beautifully. He'd sent a possessed girl running off into the elements without a jacket to gods-knew-where out of sheer frustration and a lack of understanding of the entire situation. And when he had understood… well, it was no wonder his young boss had told him to grow up. In retrospect, his unwillingness to understand the situation had made it worse; it had been detrimental.

_Stupid,_ he corrected himself. Detrimental was far too tame a word; his idiocy could have killed Mai. If Brown-san and Takigawa-san hadn't found where Kenji had hidden, Mai might very well have frozen to death. And after the case in the mansion… perhaps he did need to grow up. To think that a high school freshman had also told him it was time for him to let go of past grudges was nothing short of embarrassing. He eyed the girl again. His main concern was snapping her from her funk. He looked at the flowers and had a sudden bout of inspiration. Picking them up, he put the vase on her desk, which for the better part of the week had been very empty…the entire office seemed empty without Mai there to bother Naru and Lin rather missed their quarreling. Life at the office had become boring very fast when she wasn't there to argue with Naru—and inadvertently disturb Lin at the same time.

She looked at the desk that was now adorned with flowers and then at him with a quizzical expression.

"There, now your desk doesn't look quite so empty. Think of them as a gift from SPR for all the hard work you do."

She gave him a small smile—that didn't reach her eyes—and nodded, but remained silent. Presently, she retreated back to her thoughts and returned to staring: this time out the window. Well, that had a partial success at least; it was better than nothing. He thought of how Takigawa-san treated her any time he was in contact with her. The ex-monk was more physical with her; he was constantly patting her on the head, giving her hugs, letting her cry on his shoulder, rumpling her hair (much to her annoyance, Lin was sure)—he acted very much like an older brother. Lin had the feeling that if he tried that, she'd think he was possessed. It simply wasn't in his nature. He looked at the door with some frustration. Now would be a capital time for Takigawa-san to put in an appearance. As if it were mocking him, the door stayed resolutely shut, and the window clear of silhouettes; he was on his own.

Teasing her was out. He simply didn't know enough about her to tease her. Moreover, he wasn't comfortable teasing others, prior one-sided banter with Mai not withstanding. Takigawa-san was simply not going to help him this time. One down, three people to think of—four, if he included Yasuhara-san. How did Hara-san comfort Mai? Lin blinked. She didn't, wrong person. Hara-san tried to have as little to do with Mai as possible, seeing the high school student as a rival for Naru's affections. Personally, Lin thought the young medium seriously needed to grow up herself.

Two down. Matsuzaki-san? Mother figure, big sister. No way, absolutely not. Brown-san? Hmm… nice, supportive, and generally not the one to offer Mai any sort of comfort—he was more a mediator who intervened when Takigawa-san was treating her a little more roughly than appropriate, or when she and Naru were fighting. He sighed and shook his head. Comforting people just wasn't his forte. But he couldn't leave the task to Naru; nothing would get done then and it would end badly. He was completely and utterly at a loss, on his own, and he had no idea what to do. Picking up the mugs, he carried them to the coffee table, set one down in front of her, and put his down right next to hers. "It's mint tea, Mai. Would you like honey or sugar?" he asked, deliberately calling her by her given name.

Startled, she snapped back to reality, blinking rapidly to re-orient herself. "Ah, honey, please,"

Nodding, he returned a few seconds later with a bear-shaped bottle of honey. "I prefer to drink mint tea this way, myself," he said, handing her the bottle and taking a seat next to her; he angled his body so that he could face her without having to strain his neck.

Mai looked at the mugs curiously. "I thought Naru hated these things."

"Oh, he does."

"Oh." _So why are we using them, _she wondered.

"Because sometimes they come in handy," Lin said, adding a liberal amount of honey to his tea and sipping it. "So?" he said. "What did you mean when you said, 'my apartment's worse'?"

She stared into her tea and frowned. "Just about every available surface except my room is covered with flowers and chocolate boxes. I don't know what to do with them."

"That's quite an admirer," he teased lightly.

She cracked a small, grateful smile. Hmm… maybe he wasn't as bad at comforting people as he thought. Learn something new every day, as the saying goes.

"It started at the beginning of the week," she began. "It was benign at first, but things were worse Tuesday morning. That's when all the flowers and candy began."

It was Friday, now. Whatever was going on was bad if it could progress like a virus. Before Lin could request a day-by-day account, the door opened and Naru walked in.

"Lin," he said, stripping off his black trench coat and hanging it, "I'd like to see the information that you gathered--" He broke off when he saw his part-time employee sitting on the couch. "Mai?" he asked. "Didn't I give you the week off? You'll never get smarter if you don't catch up on your school work."

If Lin were a more theatrical person like Matsuzaki-san or Takigawa-san, he'd have banged his head repeatedly against the most accessible wall, bemoaning his fate of being stuck with the most tactless kid in the universe as his boss. Someone needed to teach Naru what tact was. Really, it was amazing how rude he could be without trying hard. Instead of hitting his head he settled for glaring at the young man. "Naru!" he snapped, before the young man could say anything else.

Kazuya Shibuya froze. When was the last time Lin had used that tone of voice? Oh, yes, when Mai had ratted him out that he'd bent a spoon with his mind; he still hadn't completely forgiven her for that. He looked at Lin, who stared back with a disapproving glare. His eyes slid to the girl next to him. She was trembling—which was odd—and kept her eyes firmly trained on her lap as if it were the most interesting thing since sliced bread.

She hadn't said a word to him—hadn't snapped, yelled, or resorted to trying to inflict bodily harm upon him, as she was prone to do when he upset her. The sense of wrongness slid into him like oil and began to spread as he took quick stock of what wasn't right. Mai was usually the one who screamed at him and tried to insult him. Lin usually didn't associate with her even when SPR was on a case—but this time, he was sitting next to her and even protecting her by yelling at him. He looked around the room. There were flowers on her desk— and three boxes of chocolates on the counter; it wasn't Valentine's Day and it wasn't White Day. The scent of mint tea hung in the air. And where there was mint tea… yes, there were those mugs that he despised, the ones that were never used unless something was wrong. "What's going on?" he asked slowly.

The Chinese man climbed to his feet. "Taniyama-san was just getting to that. Why don't you grab some tea and take a seat while I get my laptop?"

It was phrased like a request—but there was an undertone in his associate's voice that told him it was more of an order.

Lin moved towards his office. As he passed Naru, he paused and added in a low voice, "Try not to upset her further. I think she's been through enough today."

"What's going on?" Naru asked again, keeping his eyes on the high school student sitting on his couch.

"I think Taniyama-san has brought us our newest case."

With that, he headed into his office.


	2. A New Case

**A/N:** Bow down and thank my wonderful beta-reader TitanWren who got this back to me very quickly, despite fighting laryngitis—which, if anyone's ever suffered from, is not fun. Twenty-eight reviews with one chapter! Wow! I didn't think this would be so popular. This story started as baby plot bunny when I saw a picture in manga six, I think it was. Be doubly happy: this chapter happens to be a combination of both chapters two and three. Anyhow. Quite a lot of you seem to think that Masako Hara is the antagonist. I didn't realize how much Ghost Hunt fans disliked her. Well, I'm not telling you all; you'll just have to wait and see. A few reviewers have commented about Lin comforting Mai. I can only say this: something definitely changed with Lin; a barrier broke, one might say—after the Blood-stained Labyrinth arc. That said let's move on.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Ghost Hunt. Just thought I'd let you all know. No CLAMP in this chapter, folks.

**Chapter two: File one: a new case.**

_It's…it's working! It's actually working! I've never been so happy! Seeing her suffer, seeing her fear, it's like magic!_

_I told you I would help you._

_I never imagined it would work this well!_

_Did you doubt me?_

She paused and stared into the mirror._ At first,_ she admitted.

Pale arms draped around her shoulders and a chin nestled the crown of her head. _Why?_

She hung her head._ It seemed too good to be true._

The arms around her tightened. _I see._

_Is that all that's going to happen? The flowers, the chocolates, the sappy notes, and confessions? Is that all she's going to experience?_

The arms loosened and left her shoulders. A slim, manicured hand pressed against the mirror briefly. _But the notes aren't sappy anymore. Look._

She leaned closer to the reflective glass. Heat blossomed across her cheeks. _Incredible, _she whispered.

_And then there's this._ Again, she looked into the mirror and saw the ruckus that had recently happened. A slow, twisted smile spread across her face. _That was a thing of beauty,_ she crowed happily.

_Wasn't it?_

_Can we do more?_

_More?_ A predatory smile flashed in the mirror. _Child, it's like you read my mind! But you'll have to help me._

_Of course! Anything._

_Close your eyes and dream of your hatred._

Her eyes slid shut and she slumped forward onto the vanity.

.........

Naru did as Lin said and took a seat where he was facing Mai, since Lin had taken the seat next to her. That too was odd. Normally, Lin chose to sit next to him where he could observe the client. He studied her as he waited for his associate to return. She studiously avoided his scrutiny, but he could see the dried tear tracks on her cheeks. He took a sip of tea; it didn't escape his notice that she was washed out in the fluorescent lighting. Naru had never seen her look like this: even when Kenji had possessed her she'd looked more alive, and that was saying something because she hadn't _been_ there at all.

_Weird,_ Mai thought. The entire day had been surreal. She hadn't made it through the school day—instead she'd left early. She'd been showered again with flowers and chocolates, chased all the way to SPR, and saved by Lin-san. Truth be told, when she'd realized that Naru wasn't in the office, she found herself relieved. The young president of SPR would only tease her and make her feel worse. Lin-san was clumsy when it came to comforting people, but he hadn't lectured her or made her feel guilty, and that helped her enormously—more than he could ever realize. But now Naru was back—that sick feeling she'd had in her stomach suddenly returned with a vengeance; it was through sheer willpower that she didn't clamp her hands over her mouth and bolt to the bathroom, but it was tempting to do so—oh, so tempting. She glanced at him and quickly looked away again; she wasn't quite ready to face his ridicule just yet.

"Mai…" Naru began.

"I'm back," Lin announced unnecessarily, laptop in hand. Retaking his seat, he opened the computer and said, "I'm going to record everything into the computer for our files. That's going to include what happened earlier, all right, Taniyama-san?"

_What happened earlier,_ Naru wondered. No matter—he'd know soon enough.

Mai blinked when she realized that she would have to recount everything that had happened thus far. She nodded, keeping her eyes averted from the gazes of both Paranormal Investigators. Naru looked at Lin and received a bland look in return—'patience,' he thought it said. _Might as well conduct this like a case proper,_ Naru thought. If Lin thought Mai had brought them something, he'd go with it.

"Please start at the very beginning and go through the events chronologically," he said, slipping into investigator mode.

"Okay," she said, taking a deep breath. "It started Monday. I spent the weekend catching up on schoolwork that I'd missed. When Monday rolled around, I went through my usual routine in the morning: get up, shower, get dressed, eat, brush teeth, and go to school. Before class started, I was talking with Michiru; we were trying to figure out the answer to a biology question that wasn't anywhere in our books or notes. Then Akira-kun came into the class."

"Who's that?" Naru asked.

"Michiru's older brother. Michiru was the one who asked me to tell you about the ghost that was dumping water on people in the park."

"I see. Go on, what happened next?"

"Let's see," she said, touching her chin with her index finger. "He talked to Michiru for a few minutes—I don't know what about, I wasn't paying attention. I was still trying to answer that stupid biology question. When Akira-kun finished talking to Michiru, he came over to my desk."

………

Stupid teacher!_ Mai thought, shutting the book with an audible snap. She put her chin in her hands and glared at the blackboard. _That answer isn't even in the book! What's she thinking? I'll bet she'll quiz us on it, too! That's totally rotten!

_"Mai-chan."_

_Mai looked up from her grousing and into the grinning face of her friend's older brother. "Akira-kun!" she said, smiling at him. "How are you?" she asked, placing her chin back on the heel of her hand._

_"I'm doing good! How's your part-time job?"_

_"Ah, creepy as ever," she told him. "But Naru gave me this week off to catch up on the schoolwork I missed when we were working on our latest case." Shivers ran down her spine simply thinking of the thing that had been in that house. _Stop,_ she ordered herself sternly._

_"Naru? I thought your boss's name was Shibuya."_

_"Mmhmm. Naru's what I nicknamed him; he's such a narcissist, it fits him perfectly. He once told Ayako that there was only room for himself in his mirror."_

_Akira stared at her before starting to laugh. "Mai-chan, promise me you won't say that to his face," he said, leaning against her desk and grinning at her._

_"Eh? He already knows," she said. _

_"Geez, you sure have guts, Mai-chan." He looked at the clock. "Oh, I have to go! The teacher will arrive and start soon. Ah, before I take off, can I ask you a quick question?"_

_"Sure," Mai said. "Do you need me to baby-sit sometime soon?" She mentally started to review the calendar so she could let Naru know. Maybe she'd drag him along with. It'd do him good to learn to deal with children, Lin-san too. And unlike Ayami-chan, Takumi—or "Streaker," as he was nicknamed—fought back when he was yelled at. _

_"Will you go on a date with me this weekend?" he asked quickly._

_Her eyes grew wide. "Eh?"_

………

"He asked you out on a date?" Naru asked incredulously. Even Lin had stopped typing and was peering at her with faint surprise.

"Yeah," she said nodding. "That's when I first started to think that something was off."

"How so?"

"Well… Akira-kun just broke up with his girlfriend a little over a month ago. When I asked Michiru two weeks ago how he was doing, she said he was still really upset—they'd been dating since freshman year. He hasn't been the same after the break up, she said. And then suddenly, he asked me out. I've known him since junior high—he treats me like a little sister, why ask me out?"

"Is that your intuition?"

"Mostly," she replied.

"What do you mean?"

Mai huffed. "It's also common sense," she said, annoyed.

Lin was doubtful that common sense existed in situations such as these, but wisely held his tongue.

"Even Michiru was surprised," Mai told them. "He dated his ex-girl friend for two years and then one month later he asks someone else out at a completely random time. After he left, Michiru told me that it was unlike Akira to act so impulsively."

"It could also be that he just wanted to start dating again," Naru said pragmatically.

"Why would you ask someone out that you treat like a little sister?" she asked stubbornly. "Why ask someone like me out?"

"None of us are experts on high school and the romances that occur therein," Lin said, intervening before an argument broke out. "Leave debates about that subject to people who are. And don't sell yourself short, Tainyama-san," he told her reverting back to her family name with the distant honorific. "You may indeed have known him for quite a while and once upon a time, he may have seen you as a little sister, but people change, and so do their views. He may see you as a very attractive young lady, rather than a younger sister."

"Lin's right."

"Eh?" she said, turning to Naru and staring at him in surprise.

"Did anything else happen that day?" Naru asked, crossing his arms. He was certainly not about to repeat or elaborate on what he'd just said.

Sobering, Mai resumed. "I told Akira-kun to give me some time to think about it and then put it out of my mind. When lunchtime came, my friends and I went to our favorite spot: the big sakura tree on the grounds. While we were eating, two more boys approached me and asked me out."

"Two more?" That was a bit odd.

"Yeah. I refused them right off the bat because I _know_ they both have girlfriends."

_Or had, as the case may be,_ Lin thought, typing away.

Mai continued, "By the time the day ended, some fifteen-to-twenty guys had confessed their feelings for me, including two teachers, _and_ the principal tried to set me up on a date with his oldest grandson in hopes of having great-grandchildren soon because he was, and I quote, 'too old for me'."

Both men stared at her. "And that was just Monday?" Lin asked, making certain.

"Yep. I thought it was a joke. Perhaps the school had decided to try and rattle me seeing as I'd been away for so long. When I arrived at class Tuesday morning, there were boxes of chocolates on my chair and flowers all over my desk; it was like an American Valentine's Day, or something. I got angry. I moved the flowers and chocolates to a desk in the far corner as the guy who sits there now tends to skip biology. But he came in that day with a small bouquet of flowers and more chocolate; he also confessed feelings for me. I started feeling sick, so I went to the nurse; she sent me home. Later, Michiru came by with Akira and dropped off the work I missed, along with all the flowers and candy—which, by this time, had doubled—no, tripled in quantity.

"Wednesday wasn't much different," she continued, clasping her hands, "except for two things. The first fight occurred—fights, I should say."

"Describe them," Naru said.

"The first one happened in my second class; that's History. The teacher was writing notes on the board and two of the boys took advantage of her back being turned and started discussing which one of them I'd go out with; it quickly escalated into a fist-fight. During lunch, there were two more fights, both fights had started with the same topic: whom would I go out with? I was asked to leave the school, but the fighting didn't stop. When Akira and Michiru came by again to deliver the multitude of flowers and candy, Akira-kun told me that there was a fight in his classroom… almost two. Another boy had tried to pick a fight with him for defending me. By then, it was all over the entire school that he'd asked me out," she said, smiling ruefully.

_Ask a girl out in a full class and hope the entire school won't know? _Naru thought._ Wishful thinking. _ "And the other incident?"

"Eh?"

"You said two things, Mai. What's the second?"

Damn, she'd hoped he wouldn't remember. It was embarrassing, truth be told.

"If you didn't want to tell us, then you shouldn't have specified," Naru told her bluntly when he saw her hesitate.

"He's right," Lin said. "Besides, we can't help you if we don't have all the details. You know that, Taniyama-san."

_Stop calling me that, please! I hate it! Can't you just call me Mai, Lin-san? But they're right; I'm being stupid. I came to them for help._ She let out the breath she'd been holding. "The notes started, too."

"Notes?" Naru asked.

She nodded slowly. "They're attached to the chocolates or included with the flowers. Actually, they started on Tuesday, but those were mild. The one's I got Wednesday, however, were a bit more…" she trailed off, searching for the right word.

"More what?"

"Explicit," she said finally.

"How so?"

"It's better if I show you," she said, getting up and going over to her book bag. Opening the small pocket on the back, she pulled out two small cards: one white, one red. Returning to the couch, she sat down again and handed Naru the white one.

Taking it, he examined it before opening it. There seemed to be nothing unusual about it. Just an ordinary card found in a flower shop or maybe a drug store. Flipping it open, he read the endearing, shy words that clumsily proclaimed budding feelings. "Fluffy," he said, handing it Lin.

The older man took it, read it, and rolled his eyes. 'Fluffy' was a perfect description. Mai smiled faintly. "I wish I could take a picture of you two. Stupid, isn't it?"

"Very," Lin agreed, putting it on the table.

"I don't know why boys think that comparing girls to food that makes them gain weight is romantic. Like I said, that one was mild. Check the other one out," she said, handing Naru the remaining note.

There was something about her tone that made the young ghost hunter suspicious. Warily, he took it from her. It was almost identical to the first one, simply a different color. Opening it, he started to read. As he did, he felt all the color in his face draining away. _Whoever wrote this is sick,_ he thought, abruptly shoving it at Lin.

Lin wasn't sure he wanted to read this after seeing Naru's reaction; he almost didn't, but forced himself to at the last minute. He wouldn't be of full use to the case without knowing all the facts; he knew this. Still… Steeling himself, he opened the note and began to read. His eyes widened after the first few sentences and he gasped. The note contained an explicit, detailed account of what whomever had written it was expecting of Mai, including where, how, and positions he desired her in. _Good gods,_ he thought, disgusted.

Putting the letter down, he reached for the other one and read through the clumsily written note. The handwriting was different—that was unhelpful. The content was different in both notes, obviously. He didn't think the contents would help. Or maybe they would. The white note contained sap; the red one contained the graphic content. And then there was the twenty-four hours between the two that made all the difference. _No,_ he thought, _less than that. Twelve, fifteen hours at the most._

"Lin, what is it?"

"The contents and colors of the cards used changed in a short time."

Naru caught on right away. "White versus red, purity versus something more potent. Whatever we're dealing with grew stronger in that period."

"Twenty-four hours?" Mai asked.

"No, less than that. Try about twelve to fifteen hours," Lin said grimly.

"That soon?" Mai asked horrified.

Lin nodded.

"This is worrisome," Naru said, staring at the two notes. "Mai, have there been any changes since the explicit notes?"

"Eh? How do you mean?"

"Have they gotten more graphic, less graphic, or remained the same?"

"Oh. The same," she said. "Why?" she asked.

"Stagnation?" Naru asked Lin.

"It's possible," the Chinese man replied, with a nod.

"What's that?" Mai asked. "And what's up with the color discussion?"

Naru sighed and closed his eyes. "I'll explain," he said.

"Don't strain yourself," Mai muttered.

Naru glared at her and Lin simply smirked. "All it means," Lin said before Naru could say something scathing in return (he could see the younger man itching to), "is that whatever is going on has ceased to progress. As for the colors—they have different meanings: white generally indicates chastity and purity and red stands for something stronger… love or lust—in this case, however, I'd assume lust."

"Hmm," she said, her expression thoughtful as she reached over and took the notes from him, looking at them appraisingly. She hadn't thought about that. It did make sense, she supposed.

"What happened Thursday?" Naru asked.

She looked at him. "Much the same," she said, shrugging, "except I became the new school slut, apparently. Girls were coming up to me by the dozens and asking me to leave their boyfriends alone; or at least be more discreet about all the guys I was sleeping with," she told them, a ferocious frown decorating her face. "But Friday—sorry, today was the first time…" Mai trailed off. She _really_ didn't want to re-tell today's events.

"First time, what?" Naru asked.

"First time that whatever's been going on has been able to influence boys such a great distance."

"How do you mean?"

"Well… the effects on the guys have usually had a limit—a few miles away from school. When I'm about four miles away, the men that aim catcalls and ask me out while I'm walking home stop. But if I take a detour to… say an arcade that's a few blocks from the school to play a few games, men who want to buy me something immediately start hounding me. However, SPR is a good distance away; it's never had an effect this far before."

Not liking the thought that was going through his mind, Naru stood abruptly and disappeared briefly into the research room. When he returned, he had a road map and red marker in hand. Opening it, he spread it on the table and marked on the map where the office was and then marked where Mai's school was located; a good ten miles at least, he estimated, fifteen upon closer inspection. "Mai, where's your apartment?" he asked, handing her the marker.

Taking it, she went over to his side and scrutinized the small blocks before leaning over and circling her general neighborhood. Capping the marker, she put it on the table, returned to her seat, and picked up her lukewarm tea.

"You're a little over two miles away from the school."

"Yep."

Naru was willing to bet there was a flower shop and probably an all-purpose shop along the way that sold chocolates; she didn't live very far from a small shopping plaza. "How far would you guess the influence stretches?"

"Umm… probably four, five miles from the school."

"Do they bother you at home?"

"No. If I don't want to answer the door, I won't. But they haven't visited me there. Most of them don't know where I live."

_For now, at least,_ Lin thought recording that in the computer. And that was only a matter of time.

"What happened up until Lin came into the picture?" Naru asked, leaning back in his seat.

"Today was like Thursday, no drastic changes; I decided last night that I would bring this to SPR, seeing that the situation's completely out of hand. Getting back to today… I was asked to leave class during the third lesson and I decided to leave school early, telling them that my boss had called yesterday and told me to come into work. I decided to take home the first bouquet and chocolates I received in the first class and then come over to SPR. But I had to change my plans abruptly. There were two boys waiting just at the gates for me, neither inside nor outside: Aki Kichiro and Isamu Takahiro. They're second years and hold the same reputations as the Weasley Twins from Harry Potter."

_Lovely,_ Lin thought with a grimace. _I'll bet the school authorities simply adore them._

"They just wanted to _talk_, they said. I didn't, and I didn't like the look in their eyes."

"What kind of look was that?"

Mai pursed her lips, trying to find the right words. "Feral," she said at last. "Like I was prey."

"Go on," Naru said.

"The minute I saw them, I changed my mind about going home first. I started walking towards SPR; it was a nice day for a walk, anyways. I figured that once they were far enough from the school, they'd stop and start wondering what they were doing following me and leave me alone when they couldn't figure it out. But that didn't happen. They followed me all the way here and even chased me when I started to run. And…" here she found it hard to continue. She closed her eyes—it was easier if she couldn't see either Naru or Lin-san—Mai wrapped her arms around her midsection and leaned inwards, trying as hard as she could to pull herself into a fetal position without actually curling up on the couch.

Both men watched her try to wrap herself into a ball and frowned. But there was little they could do to comfort her.

"And, what?" Naru asked, his voice softer and less clinical.

"And they caught up," she whispered finally, tears starting to fall from her eyes. "Takahiro caught up first and grabbed me, he's the one that held me captive. Kichiro was the one who tried to kiss me first, he said that it was just a kiss—but we'd see where it went from there."

"That's when I came into the picture," Lin said, sparing Mai from having to say more. "They stopped what they were doing when they heard me, and Taniyama-san was able to break away. Once she made it to where I was, I told them I was one of her employers and that they needed to get lost."

Naru nodded. Before he could say anything else, the phone rang. Opening her eyes, Mai disentangled herself and moved to answer the phone; Lin stood up and waved her back.

"You're not supposed to be here," he told her. "Remember?" She nodded reluctantly. Making his way over to her desk, Lin picked up the receiver. "Shibuya Psychic Research, Lin speaking… Of course we remember you, Satsuma-san. No, Taniyama-san's not here right now, I'm afraid. Can I take a message for you, perhaps? Oh? Yes, you're in luck. Shibuya-san walked in just a few minutes ago. Yes, of course, hold on please and I'll transfer you." Putting his hand over the mouthpiece he said to Naru, "The vice-principal of Taniyama-san's school."

Getting up from the couch, Naru went to Mai's desk and took the phone from Lin. The Chinese man returned to the couch and placed what he hoped was a comforting hand on her shoulder. Mai smiled at him and he did the same. It seemed he wasn't as bad at offering comfort as he'd originally thought.

"This is Shibuya," Naru said. "How are you, Vice Principal Satsuma? That's good to hear. I trust that the old building demolition went without a hitch, yes? It fell on its own? Really? Yes, I've heard that spirits can weaken foundations." _Just not on a massive scale such as that building had been, _he thought._ That was land subsidence, you fool._ "No, Mai's not here. If you'd like, I'll put you back through to Lin and he can take a message for you…you're glad she's not here? Why?" he asked, tucking the phone between his shoulder and neck and crossing his arms. "Are you afraid she's listening in? I assure you, I've never found that to be a problem. She's not even here—just to reiterate. Unless of course, you think both Lin and I being dishonest… oh, that's good," he said. "I'd hate to discontinue contact with you over something so trifiling, you know. Is there a particular reason for this call? You have a job for SPR? Of what nature?"

Mai felt a shiver go down her spine at the verbal parley. "She hates me," she told Lin quietly.

"Who?"

"The vice principal."

"Why?"

"I wish I knew," Mai said, shrugging.

As if to confirm what she said, Naru suddenly snapped, "Did you call about a case or to accuse Mai?" Catching Lin's eye, he put the phone on speaker.

"Of course I called about a case, Shibuya-san," the vice principal said hurriedly, as if she knew that she'd started to tread on very thin ice. "But the problem, you could say, revolves around Taniyama. Working for you, I'm certain she may have found a way to somehow cause the circumstances that are taking place."

A warning glance from Lin caused Mai to think twice about saying anything; she really wasn't supposed to be at SPR—not at that moment, anyhow.

"True, I won't deny that perhaps she could have—we do have quite a lot of material here, but I don't think she's smart enough to understand things that are in dead languages."

Mai glared at him and he smirked back.

"I suppose you're right," the vice principal replied.

Naru smirked and voiced the opinion that he was, indeed, correct. He knew his employee, after all.

It ended with Lin placing his hand over her mouth to keep Mai from making a racket and tossing Naru a particularly nasty glare. _Honestly,_ he thought, giving into the urge to roll his eyes. _I should lock Naru and Mai in a room together; it would probably save my sanity! He should know better than to aggravate her right now—wishful thinking on my part, I'm sure. Really, where **did** his parents go wrong?_

"Why don't you tell me what's going on at the school," Naru suggested, growing tired of dealing with the lady on the other end of the line; it was amusing to tease Mai, of course, but he did need to focus on the so-called client, and Lin's glare had reminded him of just what the man was capable of. He hadn't liked dealing with the vice principal the first time he'd been at the school, either, come to think of it. He closed his eyes and leaned against Mai's desk. Haltingly, the vice principal gave an account of what had happened at the school since Monday; her story matched what Mai had been telling them. "Thank you, Satsuma-san. My team and I will be there tomorrow morning. Please have a room we may use as a base prepared. Until then."

"Tomorrow? But Mai will be at school, too."

"Of course she will. She's part of my team; she works for me and I'll need her help. Besides, this is probably affecting her, as well and as such, I'll probably have to consider her a client, and I rely on my clients for help, too."

"Affecting her? I think she's enjoying this," the vice principal said darkly.

Mai began to tremble with rage; Lin put his hand back on her shoulder and squeezed it reassuringly.

"You think so?" Naru said coolly. "I wouldn't think that anyone suffering that level of harassment would enjoy themselves in the least. Until tomorrow." Turning off the speakerphone, he hung up the receiver. "Mai," he said looking at her, "when you can, come to the base room that we'll have at the school and be prepared to help. We're taking your case."

"Okay," she said, nodding.

"For now, I want Lin to take you home. Lin," he said, focusing on his associate, "take a camera and get some pictures of the flowers and the notes. Let's see if we can find some clues in them or establish a pattern of some sort. The rest of us will meet you there."

"Right," Lin said, standing and disappearing into his office and returning with his coat. "I'll get a camera; grab that laptop, please, Taniyama-san."

Mai looked at Naru. "I'm sure Bou-san will give you a ride—he knows where I live, so you don't need to give him directions."

"Pardon?" Naru asked.

"What?" she returned, confused.

"Never mind," he said, picking up the phone again.

"Okay," she replied, picking the laptop up and cradling it against her chest. She looked at Naru who was already on the phone. "Thank you for believing me."

"Don't think I'm not angry with you."

"Eh?"

Naru didn't answer her; he was in a conversation with Monk-san.

_Why's he being so cold,_ she wondered. What had she done to upset him this time? _It's always something,_ she told herself, _I can't seem to do anything right by his standards,_ she thought, squeezing the laptop against her chest, a few tears dripped from her eyes and landed on it. What right did he have to be angry with her? _He_ wasn't the one receiving flowers, chocolates, and graphic notes. _He_ wasn't the one that had been asked out by just about every male in the school. And he _certainly_ wasn't the one that had been chased from school by two boys who'd been intent on something more than kissing! She clutched the laptop tighter and tighter until it started to hurt her chest, making it hard to breathe—she focused on that pain; it kept her from screaming and raging like she wanted to do. Oh, she wanted to kill him! _Naru, you selfish bastard!_ she thought, squeezing her eyes shut.

"Taniyama-san."

Lin's voice shook her from her musings. She looked at the tall man standing at the door waiting patiently for her, a camera case in one hand and car keys in the other. "Are you ready?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm coming," she said. "Just let me get my book bag." Going over to the counter it sat on, she grabbed it. "Keep the chocolate," she said, not looking at Naru. "I won't even ask for a return gift." That said, she joined Lin at the door and followed him out.

The Chinese man glanced at his boss and shook his head, so much for not upsetting Mai.

………

Climbing into the black SUV that was used when there was no equipment to haul around, Mai told Lin, "He's angry with me."

"He's not angry because you came to SPR on your week off."

"Then _why_, Lin-san?" she cried, clutching the laptop as if it were a stuffed animal. "Why does he have a right to be upset?"

_It's a good thing that laptop's insured,_ he decided. "Because you waited so long to come to us," he said, backing out of the driveway.

"What?" she asked.

"You should have come to us when the notes became more graphic—no, before that," he told her sternly. "It should never have progressed to you being chased from school to SPR. You've worked for us long enough by now to know that situations always get worse before they get better. That's why he's angry. I'm not happy with you, either. I'm glad I was able to prevent whatever those boys were aiming to do, but I'm not at all pleased that it even got that far; it shouldn't have. You should have come to us Tuesday at the latest."

Mai flinched. She'd expected Lin to be a bit more sympathetic. _You're a fool, Taniyama,_ she thought, tears sliding down her cheeks. "I'm sorry," she whispered, burying her face against her book bag and starting to sob.

_Ah, damn!_ Lin thought. _Fabulous job, Koujo,_ he congratulated himself. _That's the exact opposite of what you set out to do in the first place. Why bother telling Naru not to upset her when you just did?_ "Taniyama-san, I'm sorry; that was harsh and you've been through enough, today."

_But he's right,_ she thought, keeping her face buried against her book bag.

Mai didn't answer and Lin couldn't blame her. He sighed. _If we're not careful, Naru and I—especially Naru!—_ _I think Mai will quit,_ he thought, maneuvering the jeep and watching her wipe away her tears. _And what we would do without her? She pulls her own weight and then some,_ he thought, too wrapped up in his thoughts to hear or process what she'd said, assuming that he'd heard correctly. _Then there's the fact that she's been injured in just about every one of our cases-- and that speaks volumes; she hasn't run away, either. _

"Uh, Lin-san? Lin-san!" she called again, grabbing his sleeve and tugging on it gently. _Geez! What's a girl gotta do to get someone's attention these days?_ "Lin-san!"

Mai's insistent pulling on his sleeve snapped Lin from his musing. "Hmm?" he murmured, looking at her from the corner of his eye.

"You're going the wrong way. I live north of SPR. Didn't you hear me when I told you to turn left?"

Lin sighed. _…And I need to learn to pay attention!_

………

Mai's apartment was what he expected of a single person or, in her case, an orphan. It was neat as a pin, except for the flower petals littering the area; he was willing to bet that broom he saw in the kitchen was getting daily use. The kitchen was connected to the living room and contained a low, rectangular coffee table that she probably used for homework. Around it sat a comfortable looking sofa and matching love seat. Lin wondered if they hadn't been given to her by one of the teachers who'd allowed her to stay with her when her mother died. Or a neighbor gave them to her, or friends, perhaps? Maybe she inherited them? He shook his head; it didn't matter, there was no reason to be so curious. There was a small breakfast nook in the kitchen where a circular table that sat four stood. He assumed that down the hall was her bedroom and bathroom. And just as she had claimed, every available, flat surface was covered with flowers and boxes of chocolates—they were all un-opened and sat on the floor, neatly stacked. A few piles even acted as stands for some of the smaller vases.

_What a mess,_ he thought, trying unsuccessfully to prevent a sneeze. He wasn't allergic to flowers, but the sheer amount in the room was overwhelming, even for him.

"Bless you," Mai said, looking up at him.

"Thank you. Taniyama-san, I hate to impose, but you wouldn't happen to have any allergy medicine, would you?"

"I do; I'll be right back. Glasses are in the cabinet right over the sink," she said, heading down the short hallway. "There's soda or tea in the fridge, help yourself."

Taking out his cell phone, he sent Naru a text message and went into the small kitchen to pull a glass out and fill it with water.

"Here you go," she said, returning with a bottle of anti-histamines. "Oh, are you sure you don't want any iced tea, Lin-san?" she asked, handing him the bottle.

"Perhaps when the others arrive," he told her taking the allergy medicine with thanks. He downed two pills, wondering if he shouldn't have taken three, instead. "Shall we get started?" he asked, handing her back the glass and small white bottle.

"Sure," she said. "What do you need me to do?"

He pulled out the digital camera and turned it on. "Can you clear a space for the laptop and plug in the battery cable?"

"Roger!" she said.

Focusing on the display screen, he began to take pictures of the flowers. He couldn't help but think that this case was going to be complicated beyond belief.


	3. A question of ethics

**Chapter three: a question of ethics**

Many, very many thanks to my beta-reader who beta-ed this instead of translating _Beowulf_, please leave TitanWren flowers, candies, and cookies.

To angelus-2040: you asked where this story takes place. This story takes place directly after the _Blood-stained Labryinth _arc and is before the _Cursed House_ ending arc.

Yes, this is a short chapter I admit. Shorter than I'm used to, at any rate. Next chapter starts all the lovely, lovely chaos! Naru kissing Mai! Look forward to it. And just to let all of you know, _all_ the SPR guys will get to kiss Mai, yes, even Lin—although his is different. Just an FYI: **_there are no lemons in this story_**. I do not write lemons; my beta-reader does not and will not beta them. Since that's how we both are, we have no worries. Onwards to the chapter. CLAMP in this chapter, just a fair warning; let's see if you guys can guess which one. Anyone who wants a jealous Naru that's not so mature, keep reading. Anyone who wants to see Takigawa stand up to Naru, this chapter's for you.

………

Naru sat in the passenger seat of Takigawa's car in stony silence as the musician navigated his way to Mai's apartment without directions. He wasn't certain why it bothered him—but he couldn't seem to stop all the implications from running through his mind, and damned if it wasn't making him angrier.

"What's crawled up your butt?" the former monk asked, glancing at the brooding young man sitting in his passenger seat.

Naru blinked at the crude question. "Nothing."

"You may be good at lying to Mai and the others—save for Lin, but you're not getting past me. You're upset about something—spit it out."

As if. He hired the man to perform exorcisms and help out with investigations; they were not friends or confidants. "I'm fine."

Takigawa put on his signal and pulled over suddenly onto the shoulder of the highway. Turning off the car, he pressed the hazard button and turned to Naru. "Last chance," he said.

Naru gave the monk a look that had in the past made him acquiesce and back down. This time, however, Takigawa simply met his cold eyes with his own cool gaze and a frown. Naru sighed. "I told you, I'm fine. We have a new case and there's work to be done. Please drive."

"No."

For just a second Naru was certain he'd misheard. "Excuse me?" He was under the impression that Takigawa would do just about anything for Mai, so why wouldn't he leave well enough alone and hurry to her?

"Funny," Takigawa commented. "You say 'no' in so many ways. One would think you'd understood what the word means."

"There's nothing bothering me! Drive," he ordered, quickly becoming fed up with the conversation.

The monk removed the keys and put them in his left pocket. "My car, my rules," Takigawa replied. "You can walk for all I care—no one gives me orders in my car."

The young ghost hunter was shocked. He'd never seen this side of the former monk. Well, he'd seen hints, but never had he experienced the colder side of the musician. And apparently, the monk was quite serious—he could either walk, or tell what was bothering him. Neither option appealed to him, so he chose the lesser of the evils.

"I'm upset that Mai waited so long to bring this to us; what if something more serious had happened?"

"And you're pissed off at me because I don't need directions," the bassist commented, taking the keys from his pocket and restarting the car. Turning off the hazard lights, he flipped on the left-hand turn signal and watched for an opening in traffic.

"I never said that," Naru denied.

"Your tone did."

As far as Naru knew, Lin was the only person who could read him besides his parents, of course. Mai saw through him, true enough, but she wasn't able to read him. To her, he remained somewhat of an enigma, beyond his narcisstic and work-a-holic tendencies. He was certain that his tone was the same one he always used: clinical and impersonal.

"Why don't you just ask? It's not good to continually internalize things. Sooner or later, all that pent up emotion will get the better of you."

As if Naru didn't know that. "Are you a psychologist, too?" he asked.

Takigawa glanced at him and said seriously, "All clerical members act as such to an extent. Ask John or Father Toujo. Parishioners don't enter shrines, churches, or temples simply to pray. Many times they go to talk to religious leaders when they need advice or a sympathetic ear. But yes, just because the curiosity is simply eating away at you, I've taken a few psychology classes, back when I was still at Koya Mountain. I bet Ayako and John have, too. I'm a professional bassist, you know, but people still consult me about spiritual problems."

"All right, all right! If you'll leave me alone—"

"If you don't want to know, then don't bother," Takigawa said, finally navigating the car back onto the highway. "It's not worth it for me to tell you if you don't really want to know."

But he _did_ want to know, Naru realized. For some inexplicable reason, the young president of SPR wanted to know why Takigawa knew the way to Mai's apartment. "Tell me," he ordered.

_Does this kid have any manners at all?_ Takigawa wondered. "I've taken her home a few times."

Naru froze. That was it? "That's _it_?" he asked.

The bassist shot him a confused glance. "Yeah."

_That was an absolute waste of time!_ Naru thought. _He's taken her home a few times, big deal._ …Actually, it was a big deal. When had the opportunity for that ever arisen? "And when has that ever had to come about?"

"Uh, let's see…first time I ever gave her a ride was after the case in the park. Second time, Ryokuryou High, the third time—"

"After the park?" Naru asked. In so far as he knew, Mai had gone back to the office after that. Ryokuryou High was a given, now that he thought about it; Mai had gone directly home after that.

"Yeah, you remember that, right? Mai and I pretended to be a couple, along with you and Masako—we ended up getting drenched, Masako got possessed…" he recited.

"You can stop reiterating the details; I'm sure I remember them better than you," Naru said matter-of-factly. "I don't remember you taking Mai home. As I recall, she went back to SPR."

"Duh," Takigawa said, bored.

Naru blinked. _Did I miss something?_

"You wouldn't remember me taking her home because Masako came by again and took you out to dinner."

"So you just decided to take Mai home?"

"It was late," the monk said, shrugging. "I couldn't very well let her walk home."

"It wasn't that late," Naru objected. "Hara-san and I went to dinner around five-thirty."

"Mai actually didn't get home that evening until at least nine, nine-thirty."

Oh, yes, he was _definitely_ missing something. "What was that?"

"You heard me."

"You guys actually stayed there that long? For crying out loud! The office is not your personal Country Club!" _I'm actually surprised Lin didn't kick them out._

"So you've told us. We vacated soon after you and Masako left. Mai was very depressed that you'd accepted the offer of dinner, so in an effort to cheer her up, I suggested we continue our '"date"' from the park. I took her to see a movie and then out to dinner. After that, I gave her a ride home. Ayako and John accompanied us, too, so all in all it was a nice evening between friends. Too bad Lin didn't join us; he might've enjoyed himself."

Naru couldn't believe what he'd just heard. "You continued your 'date'?' That was completely unethical of you!"

"Eh? How do you figure that?"

"She's much younger than you, for starters."

Takigawa's expression hardened. "I don't see how ethics plays a role in this. In order to cheer up a girl I constantly work with and save from trouble, I took her to a movie and then to dinner, with two other people. Then I drove her home—she didn't invite me up to her apartment; in fact, I didn't even get out of the car. I made sure she got inside safely, told her to call my cell when she was in her apartment and to make sure her door was securely locked. It's not like I took her out to try and woo her or coerce her into having my babies. So where do you get unethical?"

Naru had no answer; that had been a very touching gesture on Monk-san's behalf. No doubt she'd enjoyed herself. It was a rare thing for her to be able to go out; he realized that now.

"Well?"

"Well, what? That was very nice of you. I'm sure Mai enjoyed herself."

_Well isn't he the master of complete one-eighties?_ "I hope she did. But you know, if you're that upset about it, there's an obvious solution."

"And what would that be?" Naru asked in a bored voice. What hare-brained scheme did the monk have up his sleeve?

"Take Mai out yourself," Takigawa said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Naru nearly, very nearly choked; he was sure that he'd lost all color in his face and that his eyes couldn't get any larger or they'd fall out. He stared at the other man incredulously. "Out of the question!" he snapped harshly. "If you taking her out on a date is unethical, then me taking her out would also be considered such."

_We're back to that again?_ Takigawa wondered. _Doesn't he ever loosen up?_ "Not necessarily. First, on the subject of age, there's maybe a year's difference between you two; second, you seeing Masako whom you've hired before to help is just as unethical as taking Mai out would be."

"Hara-san brought that case to SPR; she was the client. There's nothing unethical about a thank-you dinner."

"As I recall, Mai originally brought the case to you at the behest of a friend. In reality, Mai's friend was the original client; you only took the case _after_ Masako asked you to. But you know something Naru? You're right."

"What? You're admitting I'm right?"

"You're right that there's nothing unethical about a thank-you dinner as you've put it. But, if what Masako's told us is true, then you've seen her outside the realm of a client. It's generally frowned upon in business to have a relationship with someone you work with; some businesses expressly forbid employees to date other employees—and the punishment is being fired if that rule is broken. If you're paying Masako every time we go on a case and she's constantly showing up at the office like the rest of us, then she might as well be considered an employee. But if you don't mind dating people you work with, then disregard everything I've just said."

"And just what was I supposed to say?"

"No always works. If you don't want to go with her or have no desire to see her in a more personal setting, then make it clear to her that you don't want to see her that way. If you're feeling more magnanimous, a polite refusal works as well. You're a great paranormal investigator, but you've still got a lot to learn about life."

"Don't you mean women?" Naru asked.

"Naru-chan, only gay men understand women."

"Oh? You seem to understand Mai very well."

"What? No poke-poke, or witty comment to make me defend myself? Mai's like a little sister to me; so she's easy to read. Masako's easy to read, too. I don't understand Ayako at all."

"Agreed."

"Just out of curiosity, since you're in such a talkative mood—"

"That can be easily rectified," Naru said.

"Don't be a brat. Why did you hire Mai?"

Naru blinked. Did he just… "Did you just call me a brat?" he asked incredulously.

"What, Madoka-san's the only one who can comment on your attitude?"

Naru sighed; he wasn't really ready to divulge the entire truth of why he'd hired Mai. "I don't know why I hired her, really," he said, looking out the window. "Originally, I needed her help since Lin was injured, thanks to her poking around—and she broke my camera."

"But that doesn't usually motivate people to hire someone. If anything, it should have caused you to cease all contact with her once you finished at the school."

_Except something woke up within her; no, it simply blossomed more while she was working with us. There's a burden of responsibility when working with the paranormal. More importantly, she's an orphan and that I understand very well.  
_

"Naru?"

"I think I hired her because she saw through me."

"Eh?" Takigawa asked, looking at the younger man from the corner of his eye.

"Strange, isn't it, Bou-san?"

_No stranger than you only telling half-truths._ "What do you mean she saw through you?"

"I first encountered Mai when she and her friends were telling ghost stories in an empty class room. You know how the game works, right?"

"Of course. I'm not _that_ old."

"Could have fooled me with how much you complain."

"Hey!"

"There were four of them, including Mai," Naru said, continuing his narrative. "When they began counting, I was the fifth voice. As you know, I'd been hired by the principal to discover what was delaying the demolition of the condemned building. When I met Mai and her friends, I told them I was a transfer student and that I was interested in telling ghost stories, too. Could I join them next time? The other three accepted me right away, fawned over me even. Except for Mai, that is. She saw my insincerity right away."

Takigawa was silent for a few seconds. He could well imagine Mai seeing through the young man—he didn't exactly try very hard, sometimes. "Is that… the only reason, Naru?"

It wasn't. But why show all his cards? "There's also her latent sensitivity. Working with psychics should give her confidence. In turn, her powers will continue to grow."

"True, I guess. I mean, she's clairvoyant, post-cognitive, _pre-cognitive_ in some cases, and already seems to be able to do things out of her body—like handing people solid objects to hold onto. How much more do you want her to do?"

Naru didn't answer and Takigawa didn't expect him to. They lapsed into silence until Naru's cell phone began to chime a familiar tune. Taking it out, he flipped it open and looked at the display: a text message from Lin, _Please stop and pick up allergy medicine. Two bottles at least. Trust me, it's bad._

"What is it?" the monk asked.

"Is there a drug store near Mai's apartment?"

"I've seen one or two. Why?"

"Lin asked me to stop and pick up allergy medication. Please stop at the closest store."

"That bad, eh?"

"Apparently. Bou-san, might I inquire as to why you decided to take the highway—which is taking us longer to get to Mai's, instead of the main roads?"

"Why, so we could talk, of course!"

_That idiot!_ Naru snarled mentally.

"So? What's Mai gotten herself into this time?" the bassist asked, his face losing its jovial look and becoming serious.

Naru frowned and began to recap all that he'd been told. When Takigawa pulled into a parking lot and turned off the car, he was frowning.

"That little idiot! Why did she wait so long to get help?"

"Lin and I wondered the same thing." He looked at the shop that Takigawa had stopped at: Green Drugstore. Oh, right, allergy medicine.

"You want to go, or stay in the car?" the monk asked.

Naru was already out of the car before the bassist could finish his question.

"I guess that settled that," he said, stretching and focusing on the ceiling of his car. His frown returned. _Mai,_ he thought, _how do you manage to attract so much trouble?_

Inside the store, Naru looked up at the signs hanging from the ceiling._ Allergy medicine, allergy medicine—what aisle,_ he wondered.

"May I help you?"

The young businessman turned to face a tall, dark-haired man with startling green eyes. "What aisle is the allergy medicine?"

"Aisle four, halfway down, bottom shelf," the man said, pointing.

"Thank you," Naru replied heading down there. He located what Lin requested in short order and approached the register with some impatience. He wanted to leave as soon as possible.

"That all, kid?" the man at the register asked.

"It is," he replied, wondering why the man was wearing sunglasses inside the store and whether or not he was related to the man who he spoke to earlier.

"That's a lot of allergy medicine," the man said conversationally, as he rang his purchase up and packaged it.

"My girlfriend has a lot of cats and I'm allergic to them."

"They have shots for that, nowadays."

"I'm not overly fond of needles, either," Naru said. "How much do I owe you?"

The man at the register told him his price. "That your friend out there?" he asked, nodding to the monk in the car.

Naru looked over his shoulder at the bassist that stared at the ceiling with a frown. "Older brother," he said, handing the man a few bills. "My change?"

"Certainly in a hurry, aren't you?"

Naru smiled coldly. "My girlfriend absolutely _hates_ to be kept waiting."

The other man laughed as he put the bills in the money drawer. "Damn, kid! That's quite a smile you've got there! You nearly gave me the chills! Just for that," he said reaching over the register to the box that sat near the young ghost hunter's arm, "I'll give you a free sample of our latest product."

"That's unnecessary," the young ghost hunter replied, shoving the box out of reach.

"Ruin my fun!" the man said pouting.

"Tell you what," Naru said, now wanting to be out of the store as quickly as possible, "I really do need to be somewhere right now. Throw in the sunglasses and you can keep the change."

"No way," the man replied, slapping bills and coins into Naru's waiting palm. "Why would you want my glasses anyways?"

Naru smirked. "Because I would make them look so much better."

There was another laugh, followed by a hearty thump on his shoulder. "Nice try, boy. You have yourself a nice day now."

Not bothering to answer, Naru picked up his purchase and left without a backward glance.

………

A quiet chuckle made Saiga look behind him. His lover stood there with a soft smile. "I did warn you not to play verbal parley with that one when he came in."

"So that's him—the ghost hunter?"

"Yes. Quite beautiful, isn't he? Too bad he's so young. The monk isn't bad either. Oh, but just wait until the young man's assistant and protector comes in a few days from now. He's truly something."

"Cheating on me already, Kakei?" Saiga complained.

"Oh, no—never. After all, beauty doesn't mean everything. It's merely in the eye of the beholder. Besides, that young man has someone else in mind—someone that's very precious to him."

Saiga wrapped his arms around his lover's slim body. "Does their story end happily ever after?"

"Who knows?" Kakei said, looking up at the ceiling with a smile. "Their story is just beginning, after all."

………

Naru got back into Takigawa's car, his eyes stormy and expression murderous. The monk started the car and said, "Was it my imagination, or did the guy at the register try to give you a condom?"

"Drive!" Naru snapped.

Smirking at the younger man, he turned out of the parking lot and said, "There's nothing more unethical than promoting children to have sex. But I suppose it's not all bad. At least he promoted safe sex, right?"

"Keep your thoughts to yourself!" Naru snarled at the monk.

Takigawa glanced at the young man and noticed that his cheeks were a lovely shade of pink, despite the overall expression to inflict serious harm. _He's totally flustered! I can't wait to tell Lin-san and Mai-chan what happened!_

"And you'd better not tell Mai _or_ Lin."

"You wound me," he said dramatically, putting one hand over his heart. "The thought never even crossed my mind."

"Right."


	4. Sakura Kiss

**Chapter four: A Sakura Kiss**

**A/N:** So it begins. This chapter turned out so very weird. Not at all what I had written or planned. Originally, it was a lot fluffier, except that doesn't work quite so well with that lovely lust spell floating around now does it? Oh, well. It all starts with this chapter. No CLAMP in this chapter guys, sorry! And yes, Sakura Kiss is the opening song to Ouran High School Host Club; I'm borrowing it.

I present to you another chapter of Shades of Lust. As always, please leave many, many sweets to thank my wonderful beta-reader: **TitanWren**. Without her, this chapter would be so full of mistakes its disheartening to think about.

Don't forget to feed the authoress when you're done reading. Reviews make her think faster.

………

_I've heard that she went to her bosses and told them what's been going on._

_Do you know something of them?_

_Very little—they were at our school about a year ago. The principal brought them in to investigate the old building that was supposedly haunted._

_Was it?_

_They exorcized the spirits, they said._

_What do they do, this company that she works for? _It groped for words. _What do they specialize in?_

_Ghost hunting and other psychic phenomena. Is there something to worry about?_

_Maybe, but not for now._

_What about **her?**_

Arms draped around her shoulders comfortingly._ Let it sit and stew for now. She's being rattled something fierce with each new day. Isn't that enough for now?_

_I suppose you're right._

_I am; I'm always right._

………

Mai's bottle of antihistamines was nearly depleted. She hadn't realized how much she'd consumed in the past couple of days until poor Lin-san had arrived. Despite the fact that the Chinese man wasn't allergic to flowers, the pollen was so overwhelming that he had no choice but to take more allergy medicine two and a half hours later. When her young boss showed up with Bou-san and more medicine from the local drug store, she nearly kissed him. Instead, she settled for giving him a quick hug to show her gratitude before going to the kitchen, pulling out the makings for tea, and filling a tea kettle.

Grinning at Naru, Takigawa elbowed him in the ribs and waggled his eyebrows. Returning the grin with a glare, the young president of SPR stalked over to Lin who was typing away on his laptop with several of the notes spread out around him and a box of tissues behind the computer.

The former monk looked around at the flowers and chocolates crowding the small space. _Man, what a mess. Why did she wait so long to go to Naru for help?_ He looked at the kid that hired him to perform exorcisms and help out with cases. _She probably thought he'd reject her case and tell her that she should get her head examined._ He looked at Mai, who had left the small kitchen, joining Lin and Naru so she could answer more questions. Though she kept up her sunny disposition, she couldn't fool him. Her eyes were pinched and her skin was paler than normal; she looked like she might start crying at any time—one wrong word would set her off. In the year and couple of months that he'd known her, she'd always been an emotional creature prone to tears one minute and smiles the next. He rather thought that she was worse than a pregnant woman and pitied her future husband if and when she got pregnant. _Our kids would be cute, _he thought absentmindedly, not really registering _what_ his mind had just hinted at.

Mai was easy to scare and easy to anger, but her heart was stout—and for a sixteen-year-old kid, she was brave—brave enough to endure some of the worst things the paranormal threw her way. He didn't know very many people who would come running to warn him of a malicious spirit he couldn't see. But this case… this problem was happening at her school… it was already starting to have an effect on her. According to Mai herself, she wasn't overly popular at school—she had a few friends that she hung out with, but that was about it. And suddenly, almost over night, she'd gone from being a non-entity to the school slut. She really looked like she needed some comfort. He grinned; he could do that. He walked behind her and reached around to tug on her cheeks.

"Mai-chan!" he said, smiling widely. "You're frowning. Your face is going to freeze like that if you keep it up."

"Bou-san," she cried, exasperated. She swatted at his hands, resulting in a few smacks before he released her.

"Whew," he said, looking around at all the bouquets. "That's a lot of flowers, Mai-chan. Does this mean we're breaking up?" he asked.

The other two men looked up just in time to see her elbow the ex-monk in the side, hard.

"Oww! Hey! That was my side!" he cried, clutching the throbbing spot that she'd hit.

"You deserved it," she replied, crossing her arms and turning her nose up. "Be thankful," she continued, glancing at him, "I was aiming for your head; I'm just too short to reach it with my elbow."

Takigawa heaved an exaggerated sigh and flicked her cheek.

"Ouch! Bou-san!"

He laughed. "I told you, you need to learn to be more docile. How will you ever find a husband when you're so violent?" he asked woefully.

"Bou-san…" she growled, clenching a fist and brandishing it threateningly at the grinning monk. It didn't take long for Mai's fist to connect with Takigawa's cheek. The older man was soon rubbing it and scowling at the school girl, who glared right back.

Lin watched the exchange with interest and decided that if he ever comforted Mai again, Takigawa's methods were out. She looked like she packed a mean punch. Naru, Lin noticed, was staring out the window with his arms crossed; he was probably pretending he didn't know any of them.

"Ah…Mai-chan, is now not a good time?"

Naru came to attention immediately and looked towards the door when he heard someone besides the former monk refer to Mai so affectionately. Lin and Takigawa also turned to see a young man from Mai's school poking his head inside and looking at Mai questioningly.

"Ah, Akira-kun! Michiru-chan!" She shifted to see the other people standing just in the hallway. "John, Ayako, Masako. Now's fine, Akira-kun. Come on in, everyone."

Hesitantly, the tall third-year walked into the apartment, carrying one of two boxes that held all the flowers that she'd received that day alone. John came in carrying the second box and stopped, gazing around the room wonderingly. Michiru pushed past him holding a large bag of chocolates.

"Mai-san, where should we put these?" he asked, gesturing with the box.

"The dumpster outside," she said darkly.

"Mai-chan!"

"Unless you want them, Michiru-chan," she said, looking at her friend, who had her hands on her hips and glared at Mai reprovingly.

John smiled nervously. "I'll just put them right here for now," he told her, setting the box in the corner near the door.

Mai shrugged, clearly disappointed that the dumpster would not be receiving an offering of unwanted flowers and chocolates. Akira followed John's example and then went over to Mai and began to fill her in on what she'd missed after leaving school.

"Three simultaneous fights! One in your class, one in mine, and the last one in class 3-B. The principal almost had a heart attack."

"All over who Mai would go out with, correct?" Naru asked.

"Yes, that's right," the third year replied, peering at Naru with faint surprise. "How did you know?"

"Ah, Akira-kun, meet my boss, Shibuya Kazuya, president and owner of Shibuya Psychic Research; we call him Naru, for short. This is Lin-san," she said, gesturing to the tall gentleman typing away on the laptop. Said man nodded his head once in greeting, not looking away from the computer screen. "And this guy here," Mai continued, gesturing to the ex-monk, "is Houshou Takigawa, a monk from Koya Mountain. Have you met the other three?"

"Well, I only know one of them and that's by television only."

Mai nodded. "Masako Hara. She's a medium. Without her, we wouldn't know where the spirits are to exorcize. The other lady is Matsuzaki Ayako, a Shrine Maiden. And last but not least, Brown John—an exorcist."

"It's very nice to meet the people that Mai-chan works with," he replied. His sister bowed and murmured a hello and her brother turned his attentions back to Mai.

It didn't escape the notice of the SPR team that Akira was sweet on Mai. His request that she date him might indeed have been genuine; it was clear that he no longer saw her as a little sister. They didn't miss his sister rolling her eyes in disgust at her brother. It also didn't escape Naru, Takigawa, or Lin that Mai was growing increasingly agitated with all the attention that he was paying her. Takigawa's attention was one thing; he was past the hormonal high school teenager. But Akira's attention was another—he was still in high school and it was obvious to the three men that the young man was making her uncomfortable. Naru had a feeling that Mai was perfectly happy with little-sister attention, not girlfriend-to-be attention.

"Is that all that happened earlier today, Akira-san?" Naru asked, crossing his arms, attempting to divert his attention away from Mai. The last thing any of them needed was for her to flip out again.

"Pretty much; it was a tame day today," he replied. Smiling at Mai again, he wandered over to the bag full of chocolate and took it into her kitchen, looking for a place to put the boxes.

"Definitely stagnation," Naru said to Lin. "But why? Why now?"

"I wonder if it's anything like Yuasa High School?" Mai asked. "You told Ubusuna-sensei that it took mental and physical energy to perform zuso. Isn't this the same thing almost? This all began on Monday—so wouldn't this spell have had to be cast sometime on Sunday? And it's Friday right now— things came to a halt around Thursday and have remained the same, pretty much. Wouldn't casting and upholding this spell take just about the same amount of energy as the zuso we dealt with at Yuasa High?"

"She's got a good point, Naru-chan," the former monk said thoughtfully.

"That she does. Good thinking, Mai. It seems you've learned something after all."

For a moment, the silence at the table was deafening.

"What was that?" Mai asked, threateningly.

Takigawa grabbed her before she could inflict serious harm on her boss. "That was uncalled for, Naru! Don't you think she's been through enough today? Are you that low that you have to add to it?" he asked, struggling to restrain the enraged girl—no small feat right then.

The former monk's words had quite an effect on the seventeen-year-old. If Takigawa were later asked to describe his expression, he would have said the young man looked stricken; Naru turned to look out the window again.

Lin sighed mentally. _One of these days,_ he told himself, _that boy is going to find himself on the receiving end of a very hard slap and I'm not going to help him when that happens; I don't care what his parents say._

Naru sighed. "Let's forget about that, shall we? Mai's definitely right, with one exception: casting is the easy part; it's upholding the spell that takes energy. So it's stagnant for now. The question is why?"

"Why what, Shibuya-san?" John asked, approaching the table.

"Why was it cast in the first place? What's the missing link?"

There was no answer from anyone in the apartment. _That's the mystery,_ Mai thought, having calmed down. _Not just who, but why._

"Ah, well, as much as I'd love to give you an answer, Shibuya-san, I unfortunately don't have one, and it's about time my sister and I got home. Our mother will kill us if we're late for dinner, right, Michi-chan?"

"Yes."

"Mai, do you and your co-workers want to join us? Streaker would love to see you, you know."

"Streaker?" Ayako asked.

"Ah, sorry, our baby brother. His real name is Takumi, but we call him Streaker," Akira said, smiling.

Takigawa didn't bother to ask; he had a feeling he knew why.

"So, Mai-chan? Are you coming?"

"Uh…"

"I'm sorry Akira-san, but we can't join you and your family tonight—we still have work to do. Mai, if you want to, go ahead; we'll see you tomorrow after class."

"Well, then! Are you coming, Mai-chan?"

"Umm…" She looked back and forth between her boss and her friend's brother. "I'd love to, Akira-kun, Michiru-chan. But we're still working and I can't leave just yet; SPR just started a new case. Besides, it would be bad manners to leave them. But I'll make a deal with you," she said, when she saw a depressed air overtake him. "How about this: when this case is over, we'll join you and your family for dinner—all of us."

The third year smiled, grabbed her hands, and squeezed them warmly. "Good idea, Mai-chan! I'm going to hold you to that! I'm sorry I didn't realize sooner that you'd started a new case."

"Don't worry about it," she said, trying to surreptitiously ease her hands out of his hold.

Her smile was strained, Takigawa noticed. "Hey, young man," the former monk began, "you're really sweet on her, aren't you?" He'd asked it in hopes of embarrassing the kid—after all, they couldn't all be bold like Yasuhara-kun.

Akira just smiled at the taller man. "Well, I did ask her out in hopes of her becoming my girlfriend, you know."

_On the other hand,_ Takigawa decided—_this young man is the Osamu Yasuhara-kun of Mai's high school._

Mai flinched and tugged her hands out of his as fast as she could. Naru looked up sharply, his eyes darkening to black. _This is the guy that asked her out…of course he is! Why didn't I make that connection sooner? How dare he embarrass her like that!_ He blinked. _Calm down,_ he admonished himself. Ayako, John, Masako, and Takigawa were all gawking at the boy, unable to believe what he'd just said, and in front of strangers no less.

_Damn,_ Takigawa thought. _Naru-bou looks like he's about to have a fit. What's with this kid?_ Looking to his right, he realized that even Lin was staring at the third year like he'd lost his mind.

"By the way, Mai, you haven't given it any thought, have you?"

Mai was saved from answering by her friend, who chose that exact moment to slug her brother hard in the back of the head.

"Ouch! Michiru! What was that for?" he demanded, rounding on his sister, who seethed with anger.

"For being an insensitive jerk, that's what! You just embarrassed Mai in front of the people she works with! You did the same thing at school! Honestly! This isn't like you at all! What's gotten into you all of the sudden?" She turned to the SPR group and bowed. "I'm sorry about that," she said apologetically. "Mai, I'll see you in class tomorrow. Hopefully, someone will have answered that bio question, besides Masaharu-kun. The gods know I can't afford to pay him for the answer. If I get it before you, I'll tell you," she said, winking at her friend.

"Same here. If I get it before you, you're the first to know."

Michiru turned back to Naru and bowed. "Again, I'm really sorry about my brother. But if we can be of any help to you during your investigation, please let us know."

"If there's anything you can do, I will inform you," he said nodding brusquely.

Michiru turned again and without a backward glance, pulled her brother out of Mai's apartment. In the hall, they could hear her berate him for being a callous idiot. Mai collapsed in one of the chairs and buried her burning face in her arms. Sympathetically, Takigawa ran a comforting hand through her hair. They were all silent—what could they say? There were no words of comfort to offer her that wouldn't further her embarrassment. The whistling of the tea kettle pulled Mai from her funk. Getting up, she asked, "Would anyone care for some tea and allergy medicine?"

There was agreement all around and Mai made her way back to the kitchen and pulled out seven tea mugs. She added the boiling water to the tea leaves and allowed them to steep before pouring fragrant green tea into the waiting mugs. Grabbing one of the antihistamine bottles from its pack, she brought it out, set it on the table and began to distribute the tea around.

Takigawa took his with thanks and looked at the clock, noticing that it was well after six o'clock in the evening. With all the excitement of today, Mai had to be starving. The others were probably hungry, as well. Who knew how long Lin-san had been here. "Mai, let's order a pizza or two—our treat," he said, casting his eyes around the table at the other members of SPR.

"Huh?" she asked, looking at him.

"Pizza," he said, gently clonking her on the head with his knuckles. "You do know what pizza is, don't you?"

Her cheeks puffed out angrily. "Of course I do!" she huffed. "But, I don't know of any good places for take out. The ones I've tried have been pretty bad—I usually end up making my own if I'm in the mood for it."

"You haven't tried the right places, then," he said winking at her. "I have a good friend who owns a pizza parlor." He looked at her teasingly. "Let me guess—you're one of those wimps who usually likes only cheese, right?"

She glared at him wondering if she could get away with 'accidentally' spilling his tea on him. _Probably not,_ she decided. _Too many witnesses._ "For your information, I happen to be fond of supreme."

"Really?" he asked, cradling his chin with long fingers and scrutinizing her. "You surprise me, Mai-chan. Everyone else okay with supreme pizza?"

"Do what you want," Naru said, leaving Lin's side and making his way to the newest bouquets and chocolates.

"I'll take that as a yes. Lin-san?"

"I don't care either way," the Chinese man replied.

"Works for me," Ayako said.

"Same here," John said.

"I will not be joining," Masako said.

"Eh? Why not, Masako?" Mai asked.

Masako looked down at the floor. "I have no desire to. Besides, my father will be wondering where I am."

"We'll see you tomorrow then, Hara-san," Naru said looking at one of the notes that he'd gathered.

"Yes. Will you see me out, Naru?"

Sighing, the young man put down what he was reading and approached the door. Smiling into her kimono sleeve, the young medium followed him. "I'll be back momentarily," he said to no one in particular, although his gaze seemed to linger on Mai. Masako took his arm and he turned out the door.

_Damn you, Masako!_ Mai thought angrily. _And why does Naru always give in? Why, why!_

"I guess she doesn't like pizza," Takigawa said, making his way over to Mai's phone to call his friend. Soon, a one-sided, animated conversation could be heard throughout the apartment.

"Taniyama-san, that biology question that you and your friend Michiru-san were talking about—is it the same one you mentioned to us earlier?" Lin asked.

"Unfortunately," she commented. "That rotten teacher of ours told us to find the answer any which way we can; she knew it wouldn't be in our texts."

"And this classmate of yours is the only one who has the answer…why?"

"Masaharu-kun's father is a doctor," she replied absently, watching the door for Naru's return.

That made sense. "I see. What' s the question?"

Mai looked at him strangely. _What's he up to,_ she wondered. She shrugged mentally. Perhaps he just wanted to help. "I'll be right back," she said, going down the short hallway to her bedroom—the only place besides the bathroom that wasn't crowded with flowers and chocolates. Retrieving her biology notebook, she returned to the table and opened it to the question that had everyone, except for one person, stumped. "Here," she said, handing it to him.

_What is fibrinogen? _It was the only unanswered question; the rest were done and from the looks of it, they were correct. But this question… it wasn't a question found within a normal sophomore level biology class. It was maybe an advanced placement question; certainly it was college level. There was no hint at all and it seemed random, seeing that the other questions were all about the respiratory system. _Perhaps the teacher intends to teach about blood and the cardiovascular system next, _he mused. "Your teacher doesn't like teaching sophomore biology, does she?" he asked her.

Mai shrugged.

He handed the notebook back to her. "Fibrinogen is a clotting factor. More specifically, it's a protein found in the blood plasma-- fibrinogen is converted by thrombin into fibrin—which forms a net and traps red blood cells. It's that which forms a clot when you get a cut."

"Is there a simpler way to say that?" she asked.

He smirked at her confused face. "Just know that it's a protein in the blood plasma that becomes fibrin. The question isn't asking for what it does, just what it is. And that's all it is, a protein in the blood plasma."

Jotting that down, she smiled exuberantly, and to Lin's utter dismay, threw her arms around his neck in a jubilant hug as she squealed her thanks. Letting him go, she made her way over to the phone that Takigawa had just hung up. Startled, the Chinese man simply sat there, trying to comprehend what had just happened. _I answered a biology question and I got a hug in return. I don't understand her at all._ He looked up to see Takigawa snickering at him. "May I help you, Takigawa-san?"

"Wish I had a camera," he said, thumping the Chinese man on the back. "Too bad Naru-bou didn't see that; I'd have loved to see his face. Don't try to rationalize it, just accept it with a smile. It's probably the only good thing that's happened to her today," the ex-monk said, watching her chat with a vibrant smile.

"She's not possessed again, is she?" he asked, straightening his posture.

"Nah, just happy that she doesn't have to pay for an answer."

"A 'thank you' would have sufficed just as well."

"Tell her that, why don't you."

Lin's gaze settled on Mai, who was still talking on the phone excitedly. She looked so happy and had such a sunny smile on her face that he felt his heart melt and a soft smile tug its way free. There was no way he could tell her that a hug had been unnecessary. The ex-monk was probably right—having that question answered probably _was_ the only highlight of her day. To keep that smile, he'd endure any hug she gave him, possibly more, if it came—_What the hell,_ he thought, shaking himself from his reverie. He massaged his forehead, trying to figure out just what he'd been thinking. _Where in the world did that come from? No, _he thought when he realized, _it can't be…don't tell me **I'm** being affected, too?_

"Lin-san?" Takigawa asked. "Are you all right? Do you need more allergy medicine?"

"Ah, no, thank you for your concern—I think I just need to splash some water on my face. Perhaps I'm being affected by sinuses after all," he said. "Taniyama-san, may I use your bathroom?"

"Of course you can," she said, hanging up the phone. "Down the hall, first door on your right."

"Thank you. Excuse me, then Takigawa-san," he said, standing and making his way down the short hallway.

Her bathroom was small. The sink was on his left when he first stepped in; the toilet was about three feet from the sink, and right next to it, the shower. Over the sink hung a standard rectangular mirror and on the wall above the light switch was a medicine cabinet. Serviceable as it was, the bathroom was anything but bare. Pink and purple seemed to be her theme. The bath towel that hung neatly on the towel bar was a rich, dark purple. At the foot of the tub sat a bright pink bathmat; her shower curtain was white and splattered with pink and purple flowers. The hand towels that hung next to the bath towel were pink and purple respectively. _If this is the color scheme of the bathroom, what's her room like,_ he wondered. _Perhaps I could peek in… No! _he told himself firmly. _Don't go there, Koujo._

He focused on his face in the mirror; it had gotten to him, just as he'd suspected. He raised a hand to the mirror and began to chant softly. His Shiki floated around him and began to glow as he invoked a protective shield that he hadn't used in quite a while. The fact that he had to resort to this was very telling. There hadn't been a need for this even when they'd been at the haunted house belonging to the former Prime Minister. The caster of this spell was no amateur if it could affect _him_. The handprint glowed brightly for a few seconds before disappearing; his Shiki returned to their normal, invisible selves, although he felt one brush up against him plaintively and whimper. He smiled faintly. "It's all right, I promise," he told it.

It seemed to accept that and went to join its four brothers. Turning on the sink, he quickly washed his hands and splashed some cold water on his face. He borrowed the purple hand towel (it was the lesser of the evils in color) and made sure it looked just as neat when he put it back—whether Mai was persnickety about everything being in its proper place or not, he didn't know, but no sense in finding out the hard way. Opening the bathroom door, he found Naru leaning against the wall waiting for him. _Ah,_ he thought.

"'Sinuses'?" the young researcher asked. "You've never once suffered from them for as long as I've known you. What's really going on, Lin?"

"I've been here the longest."

"I'm well aware of that. What's that got to do with—" Naru broke off and stared at his assistant with astonishment. "It's affecting _you_?"

"Started to," Lin corrected. "Remember, according to Mai-san, there's a five mile radius that this spell encompasses. Naturally it would also include her apartment, wouldn't it?"

Naru compressed his lips into a grimace. "That means we're all at risk, except Matsuzaki-san and Hara-san. I'll ask Matsuzaki-san to draw up some protective charms for us when we're at the school. Also, it probably wouldn't hurt to have a barrier placed around Mai's apartment, either— just in case some of the boys find out where she lives. I don't think Bou-san will mind drawing up some wards for her." He turned his attention back to Lin. "Did you find any patterns in the notes?"

"One thing," Lin replied. John's startled cry in the living room however, interrupted him. Both men hurried back to the common area.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Naru asked tersely.

John had found one of the notes and was horrified. "Mai-san, what's going on? Who gave this to you? It's disgusting!"

Naru sighed and crossed his arms. "Why don't we fill the rest of you in on the details of the case? Matsuzaki-san, will you relate what you hear to Hara-san?"

"Sure," she said, nodding her acquiescence to his request.

Before he could continue, there was another interruption—this time, a knock at the door and several chimes of the doorbell. Naru turned a glare towards the entrance to Mai's apartment.

"Pizza's here!" Takigawa crowed. "Y'all can pay me back later," he said, throwing the door open. "Gavin-kun!" he said, grinning jubilantly at his friend. "How's it going, man?"

Takigawa's friend was tall and lean, and had bright red hair that was mostly hidden by a black hat sporting a logo advertising his business; it contrasted sharply with his pale, freckled skin; his eyes were wide and a strange green-gray color that Mai had never seen before, but his smile was friendly and infectious as he bantered with Takigawa. Mai liked him immediately.

"Houshou-kun! Things are just fine. One thousand, five hundred and thirty-two yen, please," he said, his voice carrying an odd, lilting accent.

_Eh?_ Mai thought. _He's Scottish isn't he? He's a long way from home. I wonder where in Scotland he's from._

Takigawa's face lost it joviality and was replaced with a confused look. "Eh? But… I ordered two extra-large pizzas, Gavin-kun. Shouldn't the total be more?"

"Not for you, no."

"No way, Gavin."

"Yes way," the other man said resolutely. "I don't forget the people who made my business possible. You owe me fifteen hundred yen—pay up."

"Gavin…"

"Pay him, Bou-san," Naru said. "You can argue with him later."

Reluctantly, Takigawa dragged his wallet out of his pocket and forked over the named price. Taking the pizzas, he handed them to Mai, who took them into the kitchen. Gavin stared after her. "That the young lass you've told me about?" he asked, an odd look in his eyes.

"Yep. That's Mai."

"She's a cutie—is she single?"

There was a collective gasp from those in Mai's apartment and Takigawa scowled. "Goodbye, Gavin-kun. Thanks for delivering the pizza. I'll call you later, okay?" he said, starting to shut the door.

Gavin caught the door before it closed in his face. "Seriously, man."

"You're engaged, Gavin. Did you suddenly forget about Yuka, the absolute love of your life? She's the reason you left Scotland!"

Gavin gasped. "Yuu-chan," he whispered. "Houshou-kun, what's going on? How could I…" he trailed off and glared at Mai who stood just at the entrance to the living room. "How did _she_ replace Yuka in my mind?" he spat, pointing at her accusingly. "What are you, lass? A Green Woman from the Highlands come to devour me? Answer me!" he cried. "What are you?"

Mai flinched and backed away. _He's… he's mad,_ she thought, trying to repress a shiver and failing.

"She's nothing of the sort, Gavin-san," Naru said.

Takigawa nodded. "Don't blame Mai. This isn't her fault. I can assure you, she's as human as you or I."

Lin stepped forward. "We're sorry for the inconvenience. Currently, we are trying to understand just what's happening, as you're not the only one affected. However, I guarantee that when you're five miles away from this apartment complex, you will have forgotten about Taniyama-san completely."

"Seriously?" he asked, looking at Lin with hope.

"Yes. You're Catholic, are you not?"

The man blinked and looked at him strangely. It was awfully rude to ask someone their religion. "Yes, I am."

"Brown-san, will you escort him down to his car?"

"Ah, yes" John replied. He stepped forward. "I'll be back momentarily, then. Gavin-san," he said, walking out the door with the Scotsman in tow, "where in Scotland are you from?"

"Glasgow," they heard him reply.

Knowing that his friend was in good hands with John, Takigawa shut the door. "That was fast thinking," he complimented Lin.

………

Naru looked around the base room that the school provided, trying to decide just what equipment was supposed to fit in such a small space. There was also the atmosphere to think about: it was freezing in this room. He looked up to the ceiling, wondering if the vent could be shut. _Not,_ he thought. _There's paint frozen all over it. Was it those two upper-classmen that chased Mai yesterday, _he wondered. He sighed.

Lin walked in with one of the boxes and looked around. "Do you think they're trying to tell us something?" he asked, setting the box down on one of the small tables. Walking around the room, he picked up a few more tables and brought them back to where the box rested. Quickly, he pushed them together, forming a bigger space. That done, he began to unpack a computer.

Naru nodded. "Solve this quick and get out," he said.

"Right," Lin replied, setting up the PC with ease.

"When did the others say they'd be arriving?" the younger man asked, checking his watch.

"Brown-san said that he would arrive shortly. He was just about to perform an exorcism when I contacted him. Matsuzaki-san went to pick up more spell-paper from a local shrine. She said she'd pick up Hara-san right after and estimated arriving within the hour. Takigawa-san said that he would come over as soon as his band finished their recording."

"And Mai?"

Lin glanced at his watch. "Her classes should be finished for the day."

"Which means she should be here; she should have been here before us, even." _So where is she,_ he wondered, checking his watch again. It was a little after three-thirty. Naru had specifically told the school that he wouldn't be arriving until after classes. After all, his team also had lives and duties outside of SPR, contrary to popular belief. And he wanted to be certain that Mai was here; he'd told her to contact him and then come to the office if she was sent home early. Seeing as he'd received no such call, all he could do was wait. He settled for reviewing the file of his latest case.

_She probably had to talk to one of her teachers about something. She's missed a lot of school this past week alone._ Logical as that explanation was, however, it didn't quell the steadily rising worry in his gut. He checked his watch again—ten minutes to four. He snapped the folder shut. She was later than usual and when that happened, something was wrong.

"Lin," he said, "I'm going to find Mai. You stay here in case she comes in after I'm gone." With that, he left the room quickly, intent on finding his assistant. He didn't hear Lin call out to him.

"Wait! Naru, don't forget…" he trailed off when he realized his young charge wasn't listening and was in his own little world. _Stubborn little fool, _he thought, annoyed. "I'm sorry, Mai," he said softly. _If I'm lucky, he'll get that slap he's been deserving._

The logical place to look first was Mai's classroom. Opening the door, Naru poked his head in. It was empty, save for two students serving detention and a teacher supervising them. When he inquired if they'd seen Mai recently, he received a negative response. On a whim, he tried the cafeteria. Perhaps her friends had dragged her there—although why they would, he couldn't imagine. It was empty. Audio Visual Room? Perhaps she and her friends were telling ghost stories again. It was empty, except for one couple—Naru didn't bother turning on the lights; he didn't need the image of two teens necking imbedded in his mind. It occurred to him as he traveled to the library, that Mai might have been the girl in there. He nixed the idea; Mai would have struggled something fierce like she'd done just yesterday and the school wasn't empty—someone would have heard her. Entering the library, he inquired if the librarian had seen Mai. As it turned out, she'd been in there until the bell. After that, the librarian had no clue.

By now, he was fairly worried. Where could she have gone? He took out his cell phone and called her apartment. He hung up when he got her answering machine. Was she outside, perhaps? She had mentioned that she and her friends liked to eat underneath a big sakura tree. Was she there perhaps? Outside, he started to look around for the tree when a small group of girls near the gates caught his attention. He made his way over to them, noticing that their postures radiated a killing intent. He didn't need to hear what they were saying; Naru could see their expressions—and they were livid. The closer he got, the more he could see—surrounded by the others was yet another girl; Naru had a feeling that Mai was the one in the center. Sure enough… there she was, trying to get away without success. And now he could hear what they were saying.

"Whatever you're doing needs to stop! Give us back our boyfriends! What's the matter with you, all of the sudden?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about. _I_ haven't done anything. I don't know what's going on, I swear it."

"Stop lying to us, Taniyama. You got a spell from one of the freaks you work with and cast it."

"I can't do magic! I don't know anyone alive who can!"

"'Alive?'" one of the girls standing on the outer perimeter of the group said, mimicking Mai's voice. "Does this mean you know dead people?" There was a smattering of mocking laughter and the girls in the center pushed Mai back when she tried to get away.

"I know quite a few dead people," she snarled. "Want to meet them?" she asked maliciously.

This was out of hand. "Mai!" Naru called.

"Eh? Naru?" she asked, trying to spy him from the throng of bodies surrounding her. "Where are you?" she asked.

"Right in front of you. You're late," he told her.

She muttered something under her breath, but stuck her hand out. Sighing, he grabbed it and dragged her to his side.

"Thank you!" she cried.

"Let's go. We have work to do," he said, keeping her hand. Turning, he started to walk off with her in tow.

"Taniyama!"

Mai came to a halt and half-turned to see the girls glaring at her.

"We aren't finished! Whatever you've done, we want you to undo it! Are you so bitter about the fact that you can't get a boyfriend that you have to take ours? What's wrong with Akira-kun? Can't you just be happy and take him? Huh?"

Mai flinched and tightened her hold on Naru's hand. "It's not my fault," she said. "I didn't do this; how could I? I don't know the first thing about magic or spells! I know about curses; I've seen a couple, but I've never encountered something like this! SPR's never encountered something like this, either!"

"Well who else could it be?"

"That's what we're here to find out," Naru said. "And I'm afraid that Taniyama-san is on the clock right now, so she'll have to catch up with you ladies later. If you have anything to share with SPR that might be beneficial to our case, feel free to come by our base room and talk to either Lin or myself. Thank you for your cooperation," he said, turning and tugging on her hand. Startled, she started to trail behind him.

"Him, too, Taniyama?" one girl cried.

"Well, what do you expect from the school slut?" another girl asked.

Naru didn't answer. He tightened his hand over her own and continued walking back to the main building.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Stop apologizing," he admonished her. "This isn't your fault, no matter what they say or think."

_Naru,_ she thought. She looked at their joined hands and smiled faintly. His hand was so much bigger than hers and it was warm and comforting. _I guess he can be reassuring—when he wants to._ Spying the big sakura tree not far from their current position, she tugged on his hand and pulled him over to it.

"What the… Mai, we have work to do."

"Look," she said. "Isn't it pretty? I love this time best of all, when the sakura trees are in bloom." She took a deep breath and gazed up at the pale-pink blossoms.

Deciding to humor her, he stuffed his hands in his pockets and gazed up at the delicate flowers. They _were_ pretty he mused. Perhaps he'd take her to the next Cherry Blossom Viewing when the time came. Perhaps he could kiss her then, too. _Or, I could just kiss her now,_ he thought, watching her from the corner of his eye. _Right here under the cherry blossoms. A sakura kiss—there's no better spot. Will it be her first, _he wondered. _Or has her 'Akira-kun' taken that already?_

_Why is he so close,_ Mai wondered, slightly alarmed at the look in his eye. He moved in closer still and didn't seem to realize that he was even doing so. A pinprick of fear snaked down her spine like lightning; she _really_ didn't like that look; it was almost the same look that Kichiro and Takahiro had had when they waited for her. She smiled nervously and backed away towards the tree. "Naru, what are you—"

She didn't get the chance to finish that question. Reaching out, he cupped the back of her neck, pulled her the remaining distance between them, and pressed his lips to hers. Her body went rigid with surprise. _He can't… oh, no! Not you too! Naru! Naru!_

_So it is her first, just as I surmised. Well, then. At least that **boy** will never have it. _He pressed her back against the tree, imprisoning her body with his; his knee nestled itself between her legs as he deepened the kiss. His free hand inched its way under her top and settled on the small of her back.

Mai couldn't move. She couldn't think… she couldn't even muster the strength to try and push him away. Not that she'd be able to. He'd shielded her body with his own not so long ago—she knew how heavy he was. She was also wedged in between him and an immobile tree. He pressed closer still and she felt the rough tree bark imprint itself into her skin. A tear slipped down her cheek, more started to follow. _Naru,_ she thought sadly, _I don't want you to kiss me because of a stupid spell!_ Tears were coursing down her face in rivulets. _Please wake up,_ she thought desperately. _Please come back to your narcissistic self!_


	5. Dreams that hinder

**Chapter five: Dreams that hinder.**

I don't own Ghost Hunt. No CLAMP in this chapter either, guys, sorry.

Many, many thanks to my fabulous beta-reader, **TitianWren**—whose name I always end up misspelling on the first type; don't ask me why. Oh! Don't forget to leave her an offering of sweets.

**Warning! Spoilers ahead for Ghost Hunt information that is beyond both anime and current mangas. Read at your own discretion. If you wish to read the spoilers and know all about the Ghost Hunt series, livejournal user ****LKK**** has posted a fabulous, detailed essay and has given me permission to post the link in this chapter. Take out the spaces: http:// lkk. livejournal. com/ 189335. html. Also, many, many thanks to ****kagedreams**** on livejournal who has been generous enough to post translations of the original novels. Some spoilers from those are found here, too.**

Don't expect another chapter quite this long. I really should cut it in half, but that would be cruel and there's no place to do that.

A great many thanks to all my wonderful readers and to those who have inspired me in both this chapter and previous ones: Artemis Bloodshadow, TabbyKat, and Azamiko, just to name a few. Many thanks to all on my LJ who have also inspired this fic and given me words of encouragement when the going for this chapter was long and not going quite as yours truly had planned. A big, big thank you to kagedreams on LJ for her awesome translating work on the GH novels. Without her, this chapter wouldn't be possible. Also, a big shout out to sapphire18 on LJ who is actually drawing this out—seriously, ya'll should check it out!

Well, you guys asked me for a slap, therefore, I present to you, chapter five. As always, leave me cookies—they get me through all-nighters.

………

He had absolutely no idea how late it was—probably around two or three in the morning. All the data he'd planned to get tonight hadn't panned out at all. The woman hadn't shown up. Stupid, stupid, stupid. He should have known not to get his hopes up; this particular woman was quite fickle. He supposed being eighty and dead on top of that made for quite a mercurial temperament. As quietly as he could, he opened the door to the house and shut it. Feeling somewhat like a thief, he snuck quietly up the stairs, and into his room.

The clock on the bed stand said it was two-thirty-three in the morning. Noll cursed silently. All that wasted time. He hated wasting time. He contemplated changing clothes before sleeping, but decided against it. Kicking off his shoes, he pulled back the covers to his bed and dropped onto the mattress. He glared up at the ceiling, frustrated.

_'According to the data gathered, she was supposed to appear tonight. But she didn't. Why? Were the conditions just not right? Did she know that we were coming and decide not to show up? Impossible, ghosts don't know the future.'_

That, at least was his theory. _'I'll have to recheck all the data again, rerun tests, check the stories, the background, basically, start from scratch.' _His glare deepened; he hated wasting time. He didn't notice his door open.

When Gene walked in he didn't take his eyes off the ceiling he was currently assaulting with his glare. When the other side of his mattress depressed with more weight and a pair of feet propped themselves on his pillow next to his cheek, he finally looked down to the foot of his bed. His own face stared back at him with a gentle smile. He didn't need lights to see that smile; he knew it was there as sure as he knew that he was breathing air. A hand grabbed his and held it. _'You look like shit. Rough night?'_ Gene asked. He didn't use words, he didn't need them; _they_ didn't need them.

Noll always wondered just what kind of bond the two of them had that made it possible for them to speak without words. He made a face, causing his twin to laugh. _'I really don't see what's so funny,'_ he groused.

_'Idiot scientist,'_ Gene teased.

He shot his twin a vicious glare.

_'Oh, scary. Someone save me. Real mature, Noll. Real mature. I told you she wouldn't show up. You should listen to me; I'm the medium, after all. You're just the idiot scientist who happens to have PK-ST. But that's neither here nor there, Noll. You really do need to wake up now.'_

_'Wake up? Are you daft, Gene? I **am** awake.'_

Gene smiled gently. _ 'You're really not.'_

_'Great. Now my own brother's gone insane. What experiment did you work on today?'_

Gene shook his head and let go of his hand. Hauling himself up, he plopped down again, right next to his brother. _'This… is just like when we were kids,' _Noll thought wistfully as Gene's arms encircled his neck in a hug.

_'It is, isn't it? It was just the two us then. Noll, have you forgotten the present? You're at Mai's school trying to solve who cast the lust spell and why.'_

A jolt ran through Noll; he smelled cherry blossoms, peaches, and something else; he felt tree bark press into his knee. Impossible, he knew. He was here in Britain, he'd just returned from a useless scouting mission of a ghost he'd been trying to gather information on, the technical lab was going to kill him for having hauled Lin with him all for nothing. He felt bare skin beneath the hand that was stuffed beneath his pillow. He stared at his brother. _'Gene…'_

Gently, Gene knocked their foreheads together and smiled. _'Idiot scientist,' _he thought affectionately. _'You're feeding the spell and you're hurting Mai.'_

It all flooded back. _'Gene—why did the spell go dormant? What can you tell me—'_

_'No, Noll. Now you wake up and stop what you're doing. It'll all come together soon. Wake up!'_

………

_What __**am**__ I doing?_ Naru wondered, coming back to himself with a jolt. He pulled away to take stock. What had come over him? He couldn't quite remember. He could smell peaches, pomegranates, and cherry blossoms—fragrant scents and he wanted to do nothing but breathe in and forget about everything else. He was…holding someone—the skin beneath his hand was silky and smooth. His knee was wedged between something and against the sakura tree that Mai had pulled him over to.

Mai!

No… he couldn't have… could he?

He looked down.

Yes.

He tore himself away from her and regretted it; her body had been warm and pliant beneath his. Plopping himself down on the ground, he chuckled bitterly. Hadn't Lin tried to warn him? Why had he felt the need to find her, instead of telling Lin to do it? Had the Chinese man been the one to find her, she'd be at the base right now, not slumped against a tree. _How could I have forgotten that there was a lust spell floating around and that I'm vulnerable to it?_ He wanted to blame Matsuzaki-san for not being there with the protective charms; it was tempting to. If she had been at the school instead of picking up spell paper and Hara-san, then this wouldn't have happened. But that kind of logic was for someone who couldn't accept responsibility for their actions and Naru wouldn't waste his time with that roundabout reasoning.

It wasn't Mai's fault for being there; it wasn't Matsuzaki-san's fault for not being there with the charms, either. He'd accepted the case knowing full well that he was dealing with a lust spell. The lapse in judgment was his fault, pure and simple. Lin had tried to warn him and he hadn't listened. It wasn't unlike him to sometimes act impulsively—especially when Mai was concerned. A warm hand settled on his shoulder and he looked up into the face of the girl he'd very nearly ravished.

"Naru?" she asked, her expression radiating concern—concern for him. And thanks to the spell (or maybe not) he wanted to do nothing more than pull her against him again and kiss her until they couldn't see straight. He nearly did.

"Mai," he said, "go back to the base."

She ignored him for the present. "Are you all right, now? Are you back to your old, narcissistic self?"

_Am __**I**__ all right? You have no sense,_ he thought. He should have found it odd that she was being so nice. At the moment, however, all he could feel was his iron control slipping away from him. "You need to go back to the base, _now_," he emphasized, shaking off her hand and glaring at her. "Do you want that to happen again, Mai? Because I swear if you don't get away from me it will!" _Please go,_ he thought. _Call me a bastard, cry, do what you want, but leave._ When she watched him contemplatively for a few seconds he began to get suspicious.

Narrowing her eyes at him, she raised her hand and slapped him hard across the face. "That's for stealing my first kiss, you bastard," she whispered, glaring at him; tears started to well up in her eyes. Turning, she ran away from the sakura tree and towards the school building.

_Good girl,_ he thought watching her lithe form sprint away. He touched his cheek with one finger and winced at the stinging sensation. _I suppose I deserved that,_ he thought. He buried his face in his hand. Were anyone actually brave enough to try and glimpse his face, they'd see a sardonic smile lingering on his lips. Looking up, he chuckled quietly. "I really do hate myself, sometimes," he said to no one in particular.

He raised his fingers to his lips. _Her first kiss—and I stole it from her. She must hate me right now; I would if I were her. Who am I kidding? She probably doesn't have it within her to hate anyone. The most I can expect is the awkwardness between us for the next couple of days._

A memory of their bodies pressed together; his knee between her legs.

Red exploded across his fair cheeks—even his iron will couldn't suppress it or stop it. _Good God,_ he thought, burying his face in both hands and willing the blush to go away. _What does this spell want? What does the caster want? What the hell's going on at this school,_ he wondered looking up at the building when he could no longer feel the burning sensation against his palms. He looked down at his hands again, especially his left, which had rested on the bare skin of her back; it had been soft, just like the rest of her skin; he wanted to feel it again… the blush threatened to return with a vengeance. _God, I can't stop thinking about it! Is this part of it?_

_'Oh, and idiot scientist, Lin told you about the counter-spell already, didn't he? You shouldn't have been so hot to veto it. This case of yours may just come to that. Don't get angry if it does; it might be the only way to solve this.'_

"Gene?" he whispered, looking around.

"Ah, Shibuya-san, are you all right?"

_That's not who I think it is, is it?_ Naru looked up; the concerned face of Mai's would-be suitor peered down at him. _Great, just great, why couldn't Bou-san have found me instead?_

"Naru-chan?" Speak of the devil.

_On the other hand, why can't I just be left alone to brood?_

………

Mai ran as fast as she could towards the small teacher's lounge that was always too cold. She flew past students and teachers alike, not hearing any of them call out to her asking what was wrong; or yell at her to slow down before she hurt herself. Her first kiss had just been stolen, and by her boss no less—they couldn't possibly understand her mental state right now. Upon reaching the room, she opened the door and bolted in, letting the door shut of its own accord. She collapsed to her knees, no longer able to stand; tears poured down her cheeks and she buried her face in her hands and sobbed. She heard footsteps approach her and wished whoever it was would go away and let her cry in peace.

"Mai?"

_Lin-san,_ she wondered. Lifting her head, she looked up. The tall Chinese man seemed to loom over her and she tried to back up—she'd had enough of people looming over her for the day, too bad her back was against a wall that couldn't move. Seeing her try to scuttle away, Lin crouched down so that he was more at her level. He'd seen her in many stages, but never this broken. _Naru certainly is an impulsive creature when it comes to her,_ he thought. He liked to think she brought out his human side. _He's been a robot for so long, it seems._

"Mai," he said again. "What happened? Are you all right? Are you hurt?" _Did he hurt you is the question I should ask—except it would only make things worse._

Her tears continued and for a moment, he thought that all she would do was cry. He could feel himself becoming frustrated with her and ruthlessly put a cap on it—he had no rights to frustration; were their situations reversed, he would probably do the same as she was. He blinked. _Then again, if that kid kissed me, I'd let my Shiki devour him. Good thing he prefers Mai._ Standing again, he reached down, grabbed her elbow, and gently pulled her to her feet. He had in mind to lead her to the couch and make her sit, but she prevented that by once again latching onto him and crying.

_This,_ he thought, staring down at her in consternation, _is happening __**far**__ too often. And if this is any indication, it's going to keep happening. My dry-cleaning bill is going to cost a bloody fortune! If she can sleep, then perhaps she can dream. It's better than me being used as a teddy bear and Mai sobbing herself to exhaustion and sickness, at any rate._ Borrowing power from one of his Shiki, he wove a simple sleeping spell. "Mai," he said quietly.

She looked up at him.

"Sleep," he said, holding her eye.

Mai felt like she was falling—_like "Alice in Wonderland",_ she thought, drowsily. _Down and down, a hole with no bottom that passes through dimensions and into another world… what…no, no…I can't fall asleep! Naru will kill me,_ she thought, desperately trying to overcome the sudden bout of tiredness. In the end, sleep won out and she slumped against Lin. The Chinese man caught and lifted her easily. He was fairly impressed—she'd put up a decent fight. She probably thought Naru would be upset with her for falling asleep while she was working. Lin, however, was willing to bet that Naru would be glad she wasn't awake—things were going to be very awkward between them for the next couple of days. Naru might act as if it didn't matter and that'd he'd forgotten, but he wouldn't and neither would Mai.

He carried her over to the large couch and set her down. Leaving her side for a few seconds he returned with his suit coat. He didn't know whose bright idea it had been to paint the vent so that it couldn't shut, but he did know that it was very cold in this room. With her uniform the way it was, she needed the coat more than he did. He draped it over her petite form, vaguely amused at how it dwarfed her. Taking a seat on the other end of the couch, he frowned. _How fast does this spell work,_ he wondered. _Is it as fast as a computer virus, or a normal human virus?_ He glanced at his watch. _Naru's been gone for nearly forty-five minutes and Mai came in about six or seven minutes ago. Maybe it's not stagnant at all—dormant? Same connotation. Stagnant, dormant, whichever word works best, it still doesn't mean that this spell isn't dangerous. We need to solve this fast before it becomes worse._

Looking over at Mai, he nodded, satisfied that she would sleep for a little bit, at least. He hoped she'd dream something, too. _As for equipment, there's nothing I can think of for this. How does one record magic, post casting? Our cameras can pick up and record spirits and their activities true enough, but a spell that's already been set in motion? Microphones, same thing—there are no odd sounds to pick up on, either. Thermometers, what good will they be? We're completely in the dark here. What we need is someone sensitive enough to pick up on magical residue. I sincerely doubt that Hara-san is talented enough to do that. But Mai can when she dreams. If we're lucky, then she'll have something for us to go on when she wakes up._

The door opened, bringing Lin out of his reverie. He looked up to see Naru walk in—his eyes stormy and face set in a severe frown, and unless it was Lin's imagination, his cheek looked a bit puffy; he resisted the urge to smirk at the younger man. Takigawa walked in next with a fierce scowl on his face that seemed out of place and bringing up the rear was the reason for Takigawa-san's and Naru's frowns: the young man from yesterday who had embarrassed Mai quite badly. He couldn't blame either of them for being upset. Naru turned and looked at Mai and for just an instant, Lin saw the anger in his eyes disappear—they softened and grew sad. Then they hardened again and focused on him. "Lin, what equipment do you think we'll need, if any at all."

"Debatable at this point," the Chinese man replied promptly. "Does magic fall under psychic phenomenon? Can it be recorded or tested? I don't think any of our equipment will help us; we seem to be completely in the dark. What we need is someone who can pick up on magical residue."

"Then that's good," Takigawa said crossing over to the couch and looking down at the girl with a brotherly smile. "If Mai's asleep, she can dream. If she dreams, she'll probably see what happened."

"That's why I put her to sleep," Lin said, nodding at the former monk.

"_You_?" Akira said, coming to attention at Lin's last statement. "You put Mai to sleep? How dare you! What kind of man are you? What were you planning once she was asleep?"

_I would hope I'm compassionate,_ he thought. _What was I planning? Does he think I planned to ravish her? Probably, _he thought darkly._ Is every high school boy so dirty-minded? Or is that the spell talking?_

Crossing over to the couch, Akira took a protective stance in between Mai and Lin and glared down at the older man accusingly.

"Ah… hey kid, maybe… you should leave now and let the adults work," Takigawa said, noticing Lin's frigid expression.

Akira wasn't listening to him; instead, he was completely focused on Lin. "Well? I asked you some questions. What kind of man are you and what were you planning? How many sleeping pills did you give her?"

Lin blinked. _Sleeping… pills?_ Lin couldn't stop the snigger that escaped his lips. _Sleeping pills, really,_ he thought, still snickering.

Takigawa grinned at the Chinese man—he understood the man's amusement. Lin was a Chinese spell-caster; sleeping spells were probably one of the easiest things in the world for him, assuming that he'd used one. Naru crossed his arms and looked away, but they could both see the tiny smirk on his face.

"Did I say something funny?" the third year asked, glaring at them.

"Actually, yes," Takigawa said, trying to hold in the guffaws threatening to escape. "Do you _see_ any sleeping pills?"

Akira looked around, noting the lack of anything medicinal—except the first aid kit that he knew from personal experience didn't contain any sleeping medication—unless one counted aspirin, but he didn't. There didn't seem to be anything in the man's pockets. Turning to Mai, he searched the outer pockets of the suit coat only to find them empty. He turned back to Lin who had a shuttered expression on his face. "All right," he grumbled, having to concede that sleeping medicine had not been used, "how did you put her to sleep?"

"Pressure point," Lin said. He couldn't very well tell them that he'd used a sleeping spell with Akira-san in the room. He was certain that Naru and Takigawa had an inkling that he hadn't used a pressure point at all.

Takigawa shot Lin a look that said plainly that he didn't believe what the man said. Frowning, he went with the flow. "Will she be able to dream, Lin-san? I've heard that pressure points can put a person into a dreamless sleep. She's the only one of us that can see and trace magical residue—I hope. I can't see Masako-chan being any good in that area."

Lin shrugged.

"May I ask a question?"

Takigawa looked at Akira. _Not that any of us really __**want**__ to answer your question… but…_ "Shoot."

"You keep talking about Mai-chan as if she's someone special. Why is that? Why do you keep referring to her dreams? Dreams don't mean anything except an overactive imagination, right? So why do you treat her as though she can do something extraordinary?"

"Dreams do mean something, if you're psychic," Naru said.

Akira stared at him and then started to laugh. "Don't tell me you think Mai-chan is psychic?"

The three paranormal investigators stayed silent.

"You're dead wrong, you know that? She can't be psychic because psychics don't exist."

"It's always refreshing to deal with skeptics," Naru said, picking up his customary folder, opening it, and tuning out everyone else as he sat down in the chair Lin had been sitting in before Mai had entered the base.

"Why can't Mai be psychic, kid?" the former monk asked, crossing his arms and watching Mai's would-be suitor intently. "I'm a Buddhist monk and I'm psychic. How else could I know if my exorcisms have any success? Besides, Mai's dreams definitely mean something. In our last case, thanks to her, we found Masako when she went missing and the others who'd disappeared, as well." He didn't tell the young man that those three were dead; there was no need to upset him, after all.

The third year turned a vicious glare at him. "Psychic powers aren't real," he said, firmly. The fact that Mai had managed to find people with her powers didn't seem to penetrate his brain. "They're for attention-grabbers like Kuroda-san, or money schemers. Communicating with the dead isn't possible—the dead can't speak; they're _dead_ after all. Did you guys convince her that psychic powers are real and that she possessed them instead of being normal?" he asked, his voice growing in volume.

Naru, Lin, and Takigawa just stared at him. _What in the world is his bone of contention with psychics, _Takigawa wondered; he'd never met someone as young as this kid who was so opposed to psychic abilities. Perhaps Mai knew the reason.

"You did," Akira accused, shoving blue-black hair out of his face with a grimace. "Why are you trying to turn her into a freak like Kuroda? Don't you know what will happen to her here?"

The room became so silent a dropped pin could be heard when it hit the floor.

"Freak?" Takigawa asked quietly, his face unusually grave. "I don't get your logic, kid. I've worked with Mai for little over a year now and I've never considered her a freak. She's clumsy at times, a magnet for trouble, inordinately helpful—sometimes—but never once has any of us considered her a freak."

"I think," Lin interjected quietly, "that you see Taniyama-san not as a person, but rather an ideal. And according to the ideal of your perfect Mai, she can't be psychic, because then like Kuroda-san, you'd have to view her as a freak and the attraction you feel just might be lost."

"You!" he said, rounding back to Lin with fury, "what do you know about her? What do any of you know about her?" he spat, pinning Naru and Takigawa with a vicious glare. "You, especially!" he cried, turning back and pointing at the Chinese man. "You hate her anyways—she told me so herself, so don't you go acting all high and mighty!"

_What's wrong with this kid,_ Takigawa wondered. _I can't believe that Mai would tell him that Lin hates her, especially since it's not true. Is this a by-product of the spell? It must be; he looks… he looks insanely jealous, for some reason._

………

Oblivious to what was going on outside of her dream, Mai ran up to Naru. It seemed to be her usual dream; he was here, after all. He had a welcoming smile on his face as he always did when she dreamed. She trotted over to his side—but never reached him. Before she could, she felt herself hit a barrier and get thrown back. She saw panic overtake her boss's handsome features and he began to pound frantically on the invisible wall separating them; it looked like he was screaming her name.

"Naru!" she called back. Getting up, she approached the obstruction separating them. "Naru," she said again, "I can't hear you."

But it seemed that _he_ could hear _her_. His pounding grew more frantic. Mai reached out and placed one hand where his fist continually hit. _Please stop,_ she thought. As if he heard her plea, he calmed down and put his own palm right where hers was. She smiled softly. _His hand is so much bigger than mine is,_ she thought.

Memories of those larger hands grasping the back of her neck and creeping under her school uniform top assaulted her mind and she jerked her hand away instinctively. Naru watched her sadly. She flashed what she hoped was a reassuring smile and said, "It wasn't your fault, I know that."

He gave her a look that she could only describe as loving. A blush spread across her cheeks and she stared at him slack-jawed. Was this what Masako had meant when she'd told Mai that Naru had visited her in a dream with a loving look? Turning his head to the left, he lifted his arm and pointed to something.

"Eh?" Following his point with her eyes, she found herself looking at her school. It looked as boring as ever and she frowned at the building that took up so much of her time. A tap reclaimed her attention and she saw Naru pointing down. She gasped. They were now floating above the school. She expected to see will-o-the-wisps, but instead, she saw a malevolent red cloud hanging over the school and spanning further beyond school grounds. She could see her apartment and saw that while the cloud there was thinner, it was still there, nonetheless.

_What is that,_ she wondered. _I've never seen such a dark shade of red before._ She looked back at Naru for an explanation and found him watching her expectantly.

"That's the spell, isn't it?" she asked him.

He nodded and mouthed something. Mai suddenly remembered that when she'd been at Noriko-san's house way back when she'd first started working for SPR, Naru had visited her in a dream and she hadn't been able to hear him until she'd focused on his voice. Frowning, she concentrated on the rich tenor of Naru's voice. When she still couldn't hear him, she decided that it wasn't her fault for not concentrating; she looked at the ground, frustrated. A knock got her attention and she looked up at her handsome boss. He was pointing again, this time to the right. Turning her head, she saw the school again—_No, that's not the school,_ she thought. _That's something different._

It was a mansion to be precise. The design reminded her strongly of Kaneyuki's mansion; there was something familiar about the overall motif. Mai hoped that this place didn't contain the same dark secrets that the aforementioned house did—it didn't look like it, though; it looked like there was a party going on. She felt the wind rush past her and suddenly, she was there inside the house. There was indeed a ball taking place—and a grand one from the looks of it. _I suppose I should collect information to tell Naru and the others when I wake up. _Looking down the staircase that she was standing at the top of, she made to descend and start collecting data, when she felt a tug on her hand. Startled, she rounded on whoever had the ability to actually _touch_ her while she dreamed, and came face to face with Naru.

"Naru!" she exclaimed.

He smiled at her. "That barrier can't affect us here, Mai. This is the past."

"This is what my school was, isn't it?" She blushed when he looked at her questioningly. "Eh… this was here before my school, wasn't it?"

"It was, yes. This main section and the East Wing are the only remaining parts of the house; the West was torn down completely. Well, the East Wing doesn't remain any longer, does it?" he asked. "The renovation into a school happened shortly after World War I when this house was inexplicably abandoned."

"I see," she said.

His smile returned and he took her hand. "Let's dance," he said, leading her down the steps.

"Eh?" she asked. She looked at Naru in his customary black outfit—which she still for the life of her couldn't figure out; she looked down at herself wearing a school uniform that couldn't be called proper. "But neither of us is dressed for a party," she said, gesturing to the costumed people.

"So? Who's going to notice? We're not really here, you know. It's just a dream," he told her. "You know how to waltz, right?"

"I remember bits and pieces," she told him feeling self-conscious—bits and pieces from when one of the girls in middle school had tried to teach her, shortly after her mother's death. Looking at their joined hands brought a faint flush to her cheeks, as it always did. Why couldn't Naru be like this in real life? Why only in her dreams?

"That's enough, then. It'll come back to you." When they reached the dance floor, Naru turned to face her. He guided her right hand to his left arm and her left hand to his right shoulder. That done, he put his right hand to just under her left shoulder blade: the closed position. Grinning at her, he leaned in close and whispered, "Ready?"

A bright blush stained her cheeks and she nodded shyly—she hoped he wouldn't try any fancy tricks; she didn't know any. The music that she heard certainly wasn't a waltz, but Naru closed his eyes for a moment and tapped his foot to a beat that only he could hear. When he found his rhythm, he opened his eyes and began to move. Their dance was clumsy at first, Mai hadn't been kidding when she told him that she only remembered bits and pieces; she couldn't remember how many times she'd stepped on his feet, or he'd landed on hers because she'd moved wrong. It didn't deter him or make him stop; he just continued on with the steps and guided her in the same. He'd been right, gradually it had all started to come back to her and soon, the dance flowed as it should, despite the slower melody pouring out from the orchestra. Their steps were lively as they danced around the room to a rhythm that only they could feel.

Smiling at her, he spun her away, brought her back, and continued their dance smoothly. "There's something amiss here," he said, never taking his eyes from her face.

"There is?" she asked.

He nodded once. Frowning, she looked around, but didn't see anything odd. That, however, didn't surprise her. "What's wrong?" she asked him.

It was then that his eyes left her to glance around the room. "The lord of the house isn't here. Do you see that lady by the doors, smiling, greeting the new arrivals, and bidding the leaving guests goodbye?"

Mai turned her head and caught a glimpse of the person he'd commented on. Standing at the door was a stunningly beautiful woman with gilded skin and exotic eyes. Her long black hair trailed down her back in banana curls, held in place at her neck with a fantastic barrette in the shape of a lotus blossom. Her hairstyle looked odd with the cone-shape design of her dress and tube sleeves. The dress bodice covered a good portion of her chest, leaving only a small, square patch near her throat uncovered. The vaquero made up part of her sleeves and then blended into the voluminous, funnel sleeves at the biceps; the vaquero was also tailored to trail down to her waist and seamlessly blend into the inner fabric of the bell skirt, a layer of fabric wrapped around the inner portion of the skirt, hiding this. Around her neck sat a fabulous cameo necklace that probably would have pulled Mai to the ground had she been the one wearing it.

_So if the lord's missing, then who's that standing near her,_ she wondered, focusing back on Naru again.

"That's her lover," he told her, spinning her again. "Shall we see if we can find the lord of the house?"

"Sure," she said.

He spun her again and when she came to rest in his arms, she found that they were no longer upstairs, but in a very familiar place: the basement. Mai and her friends often traveled down to the school's basement to tell ghost stories, much to the janitor's anger. They couldn't help it though! The basement was always dark and creepy; there were odd sounds all the time and coming from every direction. The single, low-wattage bulb cast more shadows than it dispelled. It was a wonderfully scary place that always had the perfect atmosphere for telling creepy tales. It was with a combination of amusement and sternness that the school principal forbade Mai and her friends from telling ghost stories in the basement. If they wanted to tell stories, they'd have to make do with classrooms.

But this basement was different. It didn't contain the single light bulb—there was no electricity, period. Large, fat tapers sat against the masonry wall on ornate holders and their flames seemed to be echoing the dance she and Naru had just ended. Great, now the candles were copying her. There was a door sitting in the eastern wall that she'd never seen before, either. She felt Naru's hand on her shoulder and turned to him.

"Is this place at all familiar to you?"

She nodded. "Everything except the candles and that door," she said, pointing to it.

"Let's check it out, then," he said, offering her his hand.

Holding hands, they ventured over to the door and through it. This room wasn't familiar to Mai at all; it was cramped, for one thing. She estimated that the room was four-by-eight feet—it was little better than a closet. What grabbed her attention most was the man trapped in a transparent, black cube that stretched from the floor to the ceiling.

"How despicable," he said. "That cube is a trap made of black magic. It holds his soul captive and allows whoever created it to feed off him for energy and life. Well, Mai, we've found the lord of the house, what's left over, at any rate."

The spirit seemed to have heard him. Opening his eyes, he looked at them and Mai took a step back. _John,_ she wondered. _No, John's much shorter and his hair is a shade darker, but other than that, they're twins. Are they related, somehow?_

"You there, _girl_," an imperious voice called.

"Eh? What?" she asked, looking around. She pointed to herself. "Me?" she asked. This was new, she'd never been addressed by anyone except Naru in her dreams.

"Yes, _you_," he said, rolling his eyes at her. "Release me."

"Release you, how?" she asked, letting go of Naru's hand and walking over to the cube. Naru however, hauled her back to his side. "We can't do that; we're not really here."

"Don't play games with me, child! I see you two plain as day!"

"That's because you're dead," Naru said bluntly. " Where's your body?" he asked, looking around.

The lord shrugged arrogantly. "I have no clue where that traitorous bitch's lover dumped it."

Mai gasped at the crude words and Naru put his arm around her shoulders, giving them a gentle squeeze of comfort. "Watch yourself, ghost. She's the only one who can free you."

"I, whelp, am _not_ a ghost."

"Oh, really? Pray, tell, then—what are you, if not a ghost?"

Mai stared at the bickering duo and rolled her eyes when they weren't watching her. She yawned. Honestly, what was it about men that made them argue for supremacy? Deciding to leave them to entertain each other, she touched Naru's arm gently to get his attention. Smiling, she said, "I should get back and relay this."

"Yes," he said, giving her his undivided attention, much to the spirit's annoyance. Leaning forward his kissed her forehead gently, much to her astonishment. "Thank you for the dance, my lady," he intoned, bowing deeply. "Be careful," he told her, straightening.

She blushed. The scenery began to shift and change. Although he didn't move per se, there was distance growing between them until Naru faded away completely. Harsh voices began to fill the void she stood in and they grew louder with each passing second. _What's going on,_ she wondered.

"Why do you think I hate Taniyama-san?"

_Lin-san? You're back to calling me that? Why?_

"She told me that you're quite rude to her!"

_Akira-kun? Why are you fighting with Lin-san? Are you fighting with Naru and Bou-san, too? And that's not true! I've never said anything of the sort to you! You've been listening in on my phone conversations with Michiru again, haven't you?_

_"Release me!"_

_"She can't; she's not here any more."_

_"Damn you, release me!"_

_"Hey, watch it. And I can't."_

_"Ah, I see, you're—"_

The conversation trickled away from her as she regained her awareness. Mai opened her eyes slowly and she looked around. "Is someone trapped?" she asked, sitting up and sweeping the area again with a puzzled frown.

The coat fell from her shoulders and pooled into a heap in her lap; she looked at it curiously and then at Lin-san. He smiled faintly at her. She returned his smile and tugged it around her when cold air from the vent poured out and seemed to head straight for her. At the way things in this school were going, Mai wouldn't be surprised if the air conditioning was affected by the lust spell, too. She glared up at the vent, grateful for Lin-san's coat. Naru moved over to her side and sat down next to her. "Mai?" he asked.

She looked at him, confused. What did he want her to do now? Naru bit his cheek and clenched his fist to keep himself right where he was. The desire to kiss her, to feel her body beneath his again was almost overwhelming. That coat would provide adequate cover for them both, right? _Concentrate!_ he admonished himself. _What are you, a teenager?_ Sadly, he was.

"What did you see?" he asked. The only one who noticed that his voice was a bit harsh was Lin, who frowned, but stayed where he was. He hoped Naru would keep his control.

"Mai, don't answer him. I don't know why, but he seems to think you're a freak like Kuroda."

Naru glared at the young man who was trying to win Mai's affections. For her part, Mai was losing patience. So Kuroda was a freak, was she? _Well, then I'm an even bigger freak! Kuroda-san's a latent psychic; I don't think my abilities are latent anymore, not after what we went through in the Prime Minister's house. And I want to know why you were trying to pick a fight with Lin-san._

Oblivious to what she was thinking, Akira continued. "Let's go, Mai-chan. I'll walk you home."

Mai froze. _**Walk**__ me home? What am I, helpless,_ she thought, as anger started to course through her veins in the more reasonable level that she usually kept herself at (or tried to, at any rate), she knew that Akira had offered to walk her home in kindness (for some reason, Mai had the feeling that he was unaffected by the spell), but she was too upset with him to care. It was then that she turned to face him. Akira found himself taking an involuntary step back at the anger in her eyes. "Akira-kun, why were you trying to pick a fight with Lin-san?" she asked, her voice reminded the SPR workers of icicles—they'd never heard her use that tone before.

"Umm…you heard that?" he asked sheepishly, looking at his feet. "I thought you were asleep."

"You woke me," she said. Technically, it wasn't true, but why not lay on the guilt? "Why were you trying to pick a fight with someone I work with? Do you realize he could fire me?" Another technicality, she knew; Naru was the only one who had the power in the SPR office to fire her. Mai, however, didn't feel the need to point that out.

For his part, Naru decided to keep his mouth shut and let Mai deal with her suitor-in-question. She hadn't exactly introduced Lin last night as anyone overly special and she certainly hadn't said that Lin was his assistant.

"Well?" Mai asked.

"Umm… well… he hates you, doesn't he? He's rude to you, isn't he? Why do you work for someone who hates you? You could always find another job, Mai-chan."

Naru's eyes narrowed into slits and he glared at the third-year standing near them. _How dare he? But it's true,_ he acknowledged_. With her sunny disposition, anyone would hire her, lack of skills not withstanding. All she has to do is smile at people._ It was then that he noticed the silence. Blinking, he looked over at Mai and realized from the expression on her face that a storm was just about to break. Had he been of lesser discipline he would have grinned at the poor boy who was about to be on the receiving end of a very angry Mai Taniyama. Naru, Lin, Takigawa, and the rest of the people associated with SPR knew Mai had a temper and that it surfaced frequently; Takigawa had restrained her often enough when she tried to inflict bodily harm upon Naru when he annoyed her.

Mai was starting to shake, she was so angry; her heart pounded heavily in her chest and she curled her hands into fists, praying that she wouldn't physically lash out. She'd never been so angry with Akira in all the time that she'd known him. "You have no right to listen in on my phone calls with Michiru!" she said, her voice starting to shake. "What I say to her is private and should be kept that way. And I can guarantee you that some of the clients we've dealt with have been much ruder than Lin-san."

_That's certainly true, _Takigawa thought, crossing his arms, _Matsuyama-sensei…no, the entire staff at Ryokuryou High School was ruder than Lin's ever been._

"But Mai, I did hear that he was quite rude when you first met him—I didn't listen in on the phone call, I swear it! Michiru told me," he said. "And…I heard he was rude when you were on your last case."

_This kid has no brains,_ Takigawa thought, shaking his head ruefully. _Rule one, never admit that you listened in on your little sister's phone calls. Instead of one female killing you, you'll have two—and your body might not ever be found. Not that that's a bad thing in this case…_

"True, he was a bit rude when we first met," Mai acknowledged with a curt nod. "I can't exactly picture hugs and kisses after having three shoe cases land on you; I was in a bad mood after _one_ fell on me! Imagine how Lin-san felt when three of them fell on him at once!" she cried. She continued, "By the way, thanks to my idiocy, I broke an expensive camera and even managed to sprain Lin-san's leg quite badly. He had crutches when he got out of the hospital and couldn't stand without them!" Tears started to slip down her cheeks as she remembered the first time she met her boss's associate. She paused and wiped away the tears, missing Lin's wince. "I'd say all the glares were well justified, wouldn't you?" she asked quietly.

"And I'll admit," she continued, before Akira could say anything, "that he was pretty brusque towards me during our last case. Of course, I inadvertently insulted _him_, first."

_In other words, _Naru thought, looking at Lin, who watched Mai with an unreadable expression on his face, _Mai was on the receiving end of his bias against the Japanese people. He really needs to grow up. Although… whatever Mai told Lin in return apparently broke the ice; after all, he called upon his Shiki to help her; he certainly wasn't trying to help Hara-san. _He turned back to Mai and watched her contemplatively as she chastised her would-be suitor. _Would-be suitor! _His mind snorted in contempt _…over my dead body will he ever go out with her! _

_There is something very odd about being defended by a sixteen-year-old sophomore,_ Lin decided. He wasn't sure whether to be amused, or touched. When was the last time anyone had ever stuck up for him? _Madoka,_ he wondered. _No. The Professor? No, it wasn't him, either. Well, wait—there was that one time… ah, no, I wouldn't call that sticking up for me._ He shook his head; he couldn't remember. He knew with certainty that the last person who had wasn't a high school student who only managed to reach his stomach when she stood. Mai looked odd sitting there on the large, battered couch, buried up to her neck in a suit coat that looked like it was swallowing her, and chastising her friend's elder brother over how rude he was acting to the people she worked with—Lin, especially. _This girl is something else,_ he thought. _We found a real gem in her. A diamond in the rough; who'd have thought it possible?_

"I want you to apologize," Mai announced firmly. Her words brought Lin back to the current conversation.

"What?" Akira asked, hardly able to believe what he'd just heard.

Mai aimed a particularly nasty glare at the third-year, who looked back guiltily. "You owe Lin-san an apology. And if you've been fighting with Bou-san and Naru, then you owe them an apology as well. Now let's hear it," she commanded, with an imperious look.

"That's not necessary," Lin said.

"Yes, Lin-san, it is. _I_ say it is," she said, turning her glare to him. Her eyes softened ever so slightly before hardening again and turning back to Akira. "I will not allow you to insult my friends and I most certainly will not tolerate you insulting the people I work with. I don't care which spell is floating where—that's not going to excuse your own rudeness—which, might I add, you've had your own spectacular instances of. Apologize and go home!" she cried.

_Cue the water-works again,_ Takigawa thought, watching the tears start to run down her cheeks. Wanting to do nothing more than offer comfort, the former monk approached the couch, crouched down, and gathered the distraught girl in his arms, allowing her to sob as he rubbed her back, soothingly.

"Mai," Akira said, sighing. "Don't tell me you believe this magic and psychics-are-real crap."

Mai pulled away from Takigawa and looked at him. "And if I do?" she challenged. "I've seen a lot of things that modern science will never be able to explain, no matter how far it advances. You tell me how a freshman can manage to nearly kill a teacher after he's committed suicide," she said.

"He can't, if he's dead," Akira responded.

"He can," she said. "One did; I was on that case at Ryokuryou High School. I know things the papers will never be able to tell you."

"All right, how did he do it, then?"

Hesitating, she looked at Naru for permission; he nodded at her curtly. "Magic," she said. "A nasty, nasty spell. You'd believe in spells and curses too, if you'd seen that," she told him. "Now I want you to apologize and go home!"

Seeing that she wasn't going to tell him more, Akira decided to appease her; it was better than her remaining angry with him. Sighing, he turned to Lin and bowed. "I'm sorry. Please forgive my rudeness."

Lin inclined his head.

"I'll see you later, Mai-chan."

"Maybe," she said. "Maybe not."

The young man winced and walked to the door with Lin following him. "And Akira?"

Both men stopped and turned back to her.

"One last thing—if Kuroda-san's a freak, then you can bet I'm an even bigger one." That said, she dismissed him completely by turning back to Naru.

Giving the third-year a pointed look, Lin opened the door and preceded him out of the room. When the door closed, the Chinese man turned back to the high school junior and said, "I would advise you not to show your face to Taniyama-san or at the base for the next couple of days." That said, he walked past the dark-haired boy and over to the door he'd just stepped out of, grasping the doorknob.

"Will she forgive me, do you think?"

Lin turned back to him. "Who can say?" he asked. "That's up to her, isn't it? She's very angry right now—even I've never heard her voice that cold before." Lin brought the conversation to an end by opening the door and stepping back inside the room, leaving the young man there to either.

When Lin returned, Naru resumed his questioning of Mai. "What did you see?" he asked.

She frowned. "I saw the school," she began. "There was a dark red cloud hovering over it. I've never seen such an ugly color in my life. It felt wrong, somehow."

"How so?"

She shook her head, unable to describe why it felt so wrong. "I think that was the spell," she said, instead.

Naru seemed to accept that. "And who's trapped?" he asked.

"Huh? Someone's trapped? On school grounds? Where? Will they be okay?"

The three men in the room blinked and shared a look—that definitely wasn't good.

"You were the one who asked if someone was trapped when you first woke up," Naru said.

"I did?" she asked, pointing to herself.

Naru's eyes narrowed. "Lin," he called, standing.

"Right," the Chinese man said, crossing the room and taking his place. "Please don't move or be alarmed," he told her, putting his hands on her cheeks and gently tilting her head back until she was eye-level with him.

_What's he doing,_ she wondered, as he simply stared into her eyes. _He's not reacting to the spell, is he? No, no, stupid Mai! This is Lin-san we're talking about. He's not affected by stupid things like lust spells!_

"She definitely saw something more when she dreamed," Lin said at last. "But it's been repressed," he finished, breaking eye contact with her and looking at Naru. He let go of her face and waited for the young man to speak.

"If she gives permission, go a bit deeper into her memories and see what you can find out. No deeper than the surface, though."

Mai shivered. _Go through my mind? I don't want you to do that,_ she thought, gripping the fabric of his coat and squeezing her eyes shut.

how tense she suddenly became, Lin turned back to her and said, "Please don't worry. I would never attempt such a thing without your consent. That's one of the biggest taboos among psychics: one doesn't go mucking about in someone's mind without their permission. Doing so is considered rape."

Somewhat reassured, Mai gave the man a faint smile, still not totally ready to agree. "What's the difference between what he just did and what you want him to do?" Mai asked curiously

"He peeked at your surface thoughts—your conscious thoughts—the first time. This time I want him try and skim your memories to see if he can find just who or what repressed them."

_Somehow, I don't think that will work. Anyhow, I'm not sure I want him to peek into my memories. I think I'd die of embarrassment if he found out that I dream about Naru!_

"Think chicken soup," Takigawa said.

"What?" Mai asked, craning her neck back so she could see the monk. _What's he going on about,_ she wondered. The coat around her fell open, giving both Lin and Naru a perfect view of her throat. Naru clenched a fist and looked away—where the hell was Matsuzaki-san with her charms? He wanted—oh, hell, he _still_ wanted to ravish her! Lin let his gaze travel down her throat to her collarbone and lower until that stupid bow hid everything; he felt his stomach tighten in response. Ignoring it, he focused on Takigawa, wondering how the monk was going to equate chicken soup with mind-skimming.

"When you make chicken soup you have to skim off the fat, right?"

"Right," Mai said, still puzzled. Bou-san could cook? That just struck her as weird. The image of the monk in a pink apron dotted with flowers, skimming a big pot of chicken soup of fat in its beginning stages made her throat convulse with laughter; unable to stop sniggering, she finally dropped her head and laughed. The former monk waited patiently for her to stop, wondering what was so funny.

"If you view your repressed memories as fat floating on soup broth," he resumed, with a slight wince—this really was starting to sound stupid. "Then all Lin's going to do is skim for them and get them out so we have something to work with. See? Chicken soup," he finished. _No more food analogies,_ he told himself. _They make you sound stupid. _At least he knew what Mai had found so amusing_.  
_

Mai stared at the former monk; she was too busy snickering over the image her mind had conjured to notice the expressions on the faces of the guys she worked with. Sobering, she drew her hands together and said, "I'm sorry Lin-san, Naru, but I don't think that method will do any good."

"What do you mean, Mai?" Naru asked.

Her eyes distorted, telling them that she'd slipped into a trance-like state. "Because…" she trailed off and raised her hand to her forehead where Naru had kissed her in her dream and caressed the area with one finger.

"Because what?" Lin asked.

"I don't know; I just know it won't do any good. I think… I'll remember when the time is right," she told them.

Naru crossed his arms and sighed. There was nothing to be done—if Mai's intuition told her that she wouldn't remember anything until the time was right, then he'd take her word for it. "Bou-san," he said, turning to the monk, "I'm going to ask Matsuzaki-san to cleanse this room and write up some protective charms. After she does, I want you to put up a barrier to compliment her spells."

"Gotcha," the monk said, nodding. "Hmm… it might not be a bad idea for me to also draw up a few of my own in case hers fail."

"Either way. You two work that out amongst yourselves. Mai," he said, turning away from Takigawa and focusing on the sophomore. "I want you to compile a list of the most persistent boys that come to mind. Give it to Lin when you're done."

"Okay," she said.

"Lin, I want you to take Mai home and stay with her. You're officially guarding her for the duration of this case."

Lin narrowed his eyes at his young boss. "Naru," he began.

Naru crossed his arms over his chest. "I won't need your protection nearly as much as she will. You're the only one who won't succumb to this and I need Mai protected by someone I trust. Don't worry about my parents—I'll tell them myself. Besides, however will you explain it to the Professor if _I_ did something that _you_ could have prevented?"

Lin frowned at Naru and watched him steadily; he was right of course, as he often was. He didn't like the idea, but saw the logic of it. Naru had already succumbed to this spell and it was still affecting him. The amount of willpower that he'd exerted to keep himself aloof and detached, Lin knew, was astronomical. _Damn him,_ he thought. Lin hated being backed into a corner. "This once," he said finally. "I'll deviate from my duty this once and guard Mai. You will not do this again, however. Do we have an understanding, Naru?"

Naru nodded curtly at his Chinese associate. "Agreed. I want a report on the patterns that you found in the notes. Start researching lust spells, as well. Let's see if the pattern you found ties in somehow to what's currently happening."

_Lin-san's agreed to guard me?_ Mai thought incredulously. _And he called me by my name!_ she thought, happily. She sobered when she thought of Naru alone, without protection as he would have been in Kaneyuki's mansion, had Yasuhara-san not agreed to leave._ But… if Lin-san isn't with Naru, what could happen to him?_ she wondered, tears starting to well up in her eyes. _I can't bear the thought of anyone getting hurt because of me!_ The tears started to drop from her eyes and progressed to a steady flow seconds later. _When have I ever cried so much,_ she wondered, as sobs started to wrack her body, drawing the attention of three very bewildered men.

"Mai?" Takigawa asked.

"Lin-san," she said through her tears, "what happens if Naru has no protection? He could get hurt, right? Someone in my school could pick a fight with him and hurt him badly! It's almost guaranteed to happen! Isn't he in more danger than me? I can't accept you protecting me and leaving him vulnerable! I won't let you—"

"Mai!" Naru snapped, cutting her off in the middle of her tirade. "Be selfish for once, would you? Your concern for me is flattering—but right now, I'm not _in_ danger, _I am_ the danger. I don't think you quite understand."

"Eh?"

Sighing, he frowned at her. "Idiot," he said. "Think, will you? Unlike the other two boys that _tried_ to steal a kiss from you, _I_ actually succeeded. And were Lin not been sitting next to you and Bou-san standing where he is, I would kiss you again and again until you couldn't see straight, and go from there. And there would be nothing you could do to stop me," he told her matter-of-factly.

She looked at him, horrified, and tears began to slip down her cheeks again. Naru felt his self-loathing intensify. _Can't I do anything but scare her,_ he wondered.

"Hey, Naru-bou, I think that was a little too much," Takigawa said, attempting to bring some semblance of calm to the room.

"She needs to understand," Naru said steadily, holding her eye.

"Trust me, I think you managed," said a new voice. "You really do have a talent for making her cry, don't you?"

The dark-haired young man turned to the door. "Matsuzaki-san. How good of you to finally join us. Hara-san," he said, nodding in greeting to the young medium who was watching the scene with barely veiled shock.

………

**Tuesday, day four.**

Mai sat at a table closest to the librarian, who watched her like a hawk. In her pocket, rested a hastily drawn charm that Lin-san had given her and though she couldn't see it, she could definitely feel the presence of one of his Shiki as it floated around her. It wasn't exactly trying to be unobtrusive. It reminded her of a very big and very curious dog—though she doubted that the creature in question would appreciate the comparison. Between the charm and the one Shiki that was with her, no one would bother her, she was sure. Still, better safe than sorry, which was why she sat as close to the librarian as she could—the old bat would scare off the most ardent pursuer—just in case the Shiki and the charm failed. Naru had come into the library and reclaimed Lin earlier to help interview the boys on the list that she'd made up for him. Bou-san, he'd promised, would be along shortly to watch her.

She thought back to the other day after Ayako had arrived. _Naru seemed uncharacteristically happy to see her,_ Mai thought, putting her pencil down and shoving the current book away from her with disgust—Church Councils, what a pain! This was Japan, for crying out loud! Why her class was studying European History was beyond her! _But Ayako had bad news._

………

Ayako deposited her stuff on the nearest table and made her way over to Mai, not missing the fact that she was still wearing Lin's coat. _That idiot,_ she thought, shooting the narcissistic boy a glare. Sitting down next to the girl, she put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her to lean against her. "Men are so dense," Ayako said, stroking the girl's short, silky hair. "I guess that's the difference between men and women—they never know when enough is enough. Cheer up, Mai, and ignore him, right?" she said, hugging the younger girl.

"Matsuzaki-san," Naru said sharply.

"Hmm?" she said, looking up at the seventeen-year-old. "Yes?"

Naru smiled at her coldly. "How about doing something useful, for a change? Did you at least manage to bring the charms like I asked?"

"I'll take that one in stride because I'm right," she said, flipping her hair over her shoulder. Smiling down at Mai, she eased the young woman back against the couch cushions and stood. "Of course I brought the wards," she told him with a smile. Her smile vanished. "But they won't last very long," the priestess said, going back to the stack of spell paper and picking one up. Turning to the rest of the people in the room, she showed it to them, pointing their attention to the upper right-hand corner where a small, black circle sat. There was a collective gasp from the others in the room, except Lin who didn't look overly surprised. It wasn't a random ink stain, either. That would have made the charm useless, Mai knew.

Bou-san approached the other wards and started to rifle through them. "What's the meaning of this?" he asked, when he saw that they were all alike. So far as they knew, Ayako's wards had never failed or had a limit, even though her exorcisms generally failed.

"The spell is causing them to degrade. I noticed it when I first got here. These should be good for a few hours. Later this evening, I'll pick up a sealed box that I have for tomorrow's batch, but ultimately, you guys will have to be the ones to keep an eye on them and get fresh ones when you need them."

………

_A spell that makes protective charms degrade,_ she thought, fingering the one in her pocket. _Creepy._ She pulled the book over to her again and tried to focus on it with little success. Her eyelids started to droop a few minutes later. _I'll… just ask John,_ she thought, resting her head on the table. _I'll bet this is one of __**those**__ dreams. I hope I remember something,_ she thought, drifting off.

………

She was hovering over the roof of the school. Below her, Mai could see the malevolent red cloud hanging over the school and panning out from it to cover the general area, including her apartment and a little beyond. She frowned at the representation of the lust spell and wondered why it had been cast. What could the caster have wanted or thought to gain by rattling her? Maybe there was something more sinister at work. But what? It would boil down to finding the caster and asking, she supposed.

A black wisp trailed past her, caressing her cheek as it did. The effect was instantaneous. Extreme cold filled her body and she clutched her arms around herself and bent, shivering; she could see her breath on the air in front of her. Gradually, the cold seeped away and other sensations filled her: jealousy, greed, and… want? Mai shook her head; she didn't understand. She watched the wisp as it got closer and closer to the red nebula that she hovered over; when it reached the cloud, it sailed through without dispersing it, heading straight to the center. When it arrived, it curled up into a smaller circle and settled there, like a content cat that had succeeded in eating the goldfish. _The eye of the storm,_ Mai thought.

Her dream shifted and warped around her, changing—all that she'd just experienced drained away leaving her empty. She found herself back at the barrier; Naru was there waiting. She walked up to where he stood, intent that she was going to do something about this accursed barrier. She'd been thinking about it all last night. "You can hear me, right?"

He nodded and smiled at her; she thought she would melt and shook her head sternly. Now was not the time to turn to goo over her crush. "Good," she said. "I want to try and shatter this barrier."

He looked at her questioningly and started to ask something when he realized she couldn't hear him; he broke off, looking frustrated.

"I figure that this is my dream. And because it's my dream, I don't want the barrier there."

He nodded in understanding. She smiled at him grimly and clasped her hands in the Fudo Myoo position that Bou-san had taught her. Looking at where Naru stood, she built an image of the barrier in her mind. Tall, it went to the roof of the school; thick, she couldn't hear him when he spoke—but thin enough that he could hear her, and transparent—she wanted to see it. It became visible. Narrowing her eyes, Mai centered herself and started to chant softly.

"Nau Maku San Manda Bazara Dankan." She envisioned a large, spider-web crack in the barrier, like a large ball had hit the middle dead on. She heard the crack and saw it a second later. Naru stepped back a few feet and smiled at her encouragingly.

Focusing on making the crack bigger and making smaller ones around it, she chanted again. "Nau Maku San Manda Bazara Dankan!"

Small fissures appeared in the glass-like barrier and the larger one expanded, overtaking and incorporating the small fractures and spreading from there over the surface. _One more time,_ she thought. "Nau Maku San Manda Bazara Dankan!"

Unclasping her hands, she raised her right hand began to slash her fingers in sync with sutra she learned from Ayako. "Rin, Pyou, Tou, Sha, Kai, Jin, Retsu, Zai, Zen!"

Together, the mantra and sutra had the desired effect. It started with a piercing chink that made Mai flinch and cover her ears. The crackling sound that followed was faint at first but grew louder with each passing second. Soon, it began to crumble before shattering to dust and disappearing. Mai fell to her knees exhausted and breathing heavily. Naru approached her, smiling warmly.

"That was nicely done," he commented, crouching down next to her. "Seems like learning those exorcisms came in handy after all."

"Yeah," she wheezed.

"Are you well enough to stand?" he asked, straightening and holding out his hand to her.

"Reasonably," she replied, grabbing his hand and allowing him to pull her up.

"Good. I have another segment to show you." That said, he began to walk; Mai followed him until he stopped, squeezed her hand reassuringly, and then propelled her forward handing her to… a fishing village? Mai looked around confused.

The plain yukata was worn and fit her slim body snuggly. She was beautiful and she knew it. Men admired her; _he_ had admired her, too. Of course he would. Her features were delicate and lovely, just like a doll's. Her skin was a dusky shade of gold from the sun and her high, arched cheekbones were exotic. Her eyes were a brown-gold color—the color of fine whiskey and framed with long lashes that created shadows on her cheekbones; their expression was hard and flinty. Her lovely mouth was stretched into a ferocious frown. Where did that pale, sickly bitch get off insulting her?

_Just you wait, _she thought. _I'll get you and I'll get you good. __**I'll **__be his bride before long. Men, after all, are men and they lust after anything pretty. I'll be in your place yet!_

It was night; the moon was full. She held a small mirror in her hand. Looking into it, she began to chant. The mantra was harsh and called for dark spirits to attend to her wishes. Magic—she'd gotten it from her mother. Her expression grew harder, her words more sour. Her wonderful mother who had done nothing with _her_ magic except heal people. _And then she got sick and died. One of the people she was treating passed their illness to her. After that, I wasn't so concerned with helping people!_

Magic was the one thing that _his_ bride didn't have. Her body was too delicate to do naught but sit and cling to the man whom she thought she would marry. As the chant continued, she built his features in the mirror; he was beautiful. Pale skin like his bride's, but unlike hers, his shone with health. He had such black hair; she'd never seen such a color before—it was so black that in the light, it looked like it had blue streaks; it was thick, too, her fingers itched to run through it. His eyes were the color of the sea when Susanowo raged. She continued to build his face in the mirror and watched as it appeared. Her spell reached its peak and she brought it into being with a sharp word.

An odd wind flew through the quiet village and she watched a dark red cloud settle over it, especially over the village leader's house where the English lord and his soon to be ex-bride slept. Smiling, her eyes glittering with malice, she lowered the mirror and returned to her house. She needed to replenish her energies.

The scene changed. Her spells had worked and worked well. He lay next to her in her own bed, breathing hard; she stroked his hair gently, marveling at how soft it was. When he finally regained his breath, he rolled onto his side and leaned over her. "Marry me," he whispered, leaning in close.

"Of course I will," she replied, just before their lips met; her mouth curved upwards into a smile.

Everything dissolved. Mai found herself standing next to Naru. Her face turned scarlet when she looked at him. She buried her face in her hands—she remembered that last part all too vividly. Dropping to her knees, she glared at him from between her fingers. He watched her with barely veiled amusement.

"Why did you show me a dream like that?" she demanded. "It was almost pornographic!"

He laughed and crouched down next to her. "Nothing of the sort," he said, gently prying her hands away from her flaming face. "People make love all the time. You're in high school—you should know that."

Her cheeks grew warmer and she muttered something incoherent under her breath. Smiling, he cradled her in his arms and held her close. Mai found herself wondering again why Naru couldn't act this way in real life. The warmth of his body seeped into hers and she felt herself relaxing; the tension and embarrassment were draining away. She snuggled close. "Why?" she asked.

"It's important for you to understand the past," he told her kissing her forehead gently, just like last time.

She closed her eyes and smiled. When she reopened them, she was alone and standing on the school roof. "Eh? Naru?" she called, looking around. She heard a voice calling her name. "Naru?"

"…ai. …M..ai. Mai! Snap out of it! Mai!"

Her eyes snapped open suddenly and she found Bou-san and the librarian hovering over her worriedly.

"Bou-…sa-a-n?" she stuttered, yawning and rubbing her eyes. She looked at him curiously.

"What is wrong with you, Taniyama? The bell rang half an hour ago and you wouldn't wake up even when this young man shook you!" the librarian scolded.

"I'm sorry," Mai said meekly.

The librarian sighed and closed Mai's books with brisk snap. Gathering them up she smiled down at the young woman. "No harm done, I suppose. With all the idiocy going on at the school it's no wonder you haven't been sleeping right. Take advice from an old woman, chamomile tea works. I'll hold these for you," she said, gesturing to the books.

"Thank you," Mai replied gratefully.

Giving the girl a curt nod, she turned and walked back to her desk. Takigawa slid into the chair next to her and waited until the older woman was busy arranging the books on the wheeled cart. "So?" he asked quietly. "What did you see?"

Mai scrunched her brow and frowned. "The only thing I recall clearly is the cloud over the school, the black cloud drifting into the center—"

"Wait, wait," the ex-monk said. "Slow down. You're going too fast. Calm down and take a deep breath." He waited until she had and then said, "Now start again from the beginning with what you can remember. I'm not going to test you on this and I'm not here to pass judgment on you," he told her, putting his hand on her shoulder and giving it a gentle squeeze.

"I saw… the school," she began. At his encouraging nod, she continued. "There weren't any will-o-the-wisps, just that dark red cloud. But then this black wisp… thing went past me. It made contact with my cheek and I felt an incredible cold fill my body. When that melted away, I felt… greed, jealousy… and want—I think. I don't know, I can't really explain them. Then it cut through the red cloud and went to the center where it just curled up into a miniature circle—like the eye of a hurricane," she said.

"I see. Do you think you dreamt more?" he asked.

"I… can't remember—maybe, possibly?" She broke off and shook her head helplessly, clearly frustrated that she couldn't remember anything more.

Takigawa sighed. This was going to be another long case. _Naru-bou, you sure know how to pick 'em,_ he thought. "Come on, kiddo," he said standing. "Let's go see what Lin-san can find by skimming your surface thoughts again."

"Okay," she replied. Grabbing her bag, she stuffed her notebooks and pencils into it and walked with the former monk back to the base.

As they traveled down the hallway, Takigawa thought about what Mai had told him. _A red cloud,_ he thought, ignoring the niggling warning to check his charm. He'd checked it before going to the library—it should be fine. _That red cloud obviously represents the lust spell. But what about the black wisp? What does that stand for? A stolen kiss? Possibly,_ he thought. _But what's the point?_ His eyes widened as a thought struck him.

_This is just a spell, right? Maybe not. Can spells change into curses,_ he wondered. Immediately, however, he saw the flaw in his logic: curses _were_ spells. He grit his teeth, frustrated. This wasn't his area of expertise—it was Lin's. Now, more than ever, he needed to talk to him. He returned to his thoughts, or rather, he tried to. For some reason, his mind kept returning back to the kiss that Naru had stolen. _Stolen kisses—Naru-bou actually succumbed to the spell. Aww! I knew he had a crush on Mai-chan!_ He smiled bitterly. _Truth be told, I'm actually kind of jealous. After all I've done for her, after all the times I've saved her from outside malice, or her own folly, and after all the times I've treated her to meals and sweets, I haven't gotten a kiss in return. Sucks,_ he thought, watching her from the corner of his eye. _I think… I think __**I**__ want a kiss for all my troubles._

Reaching out, he grabbed Mai by the shoulders, shoved her into the lockers, and molded his lips to hers.

_Bou-san!_ she thought, her eyes widening as he crushed her against him and kissed her hungrily. _This just isn't my day,_ she thought as the former monk plundered her mouth.


	6. Patterns of a Curse

**Chapter six: Patterns of a curse**

A/N: If anyone is unaware, the place where Bou-san came from, Mt. Koya or Koyasan is a genuine place. According to various websites, Koyasan is one of Japan's most sacred places. Kobo Dashi, who founded the Shingon sect of Buddhism, is buried there. Hopefully, everything about Koyasan typed up here is true; if not, well, we know that the Internet is not a reliable source, anyhow. That saying, I don't own Koyasan or the Japanese newspaper _Tokyo Shimbun_.

"_**Is everyone going to kiss Mai?"**_ seems to be a very popular question. I do recall saying in chapter three that all the guys would get the chance to kiss her. This includes Lin, Yasuhara, and Dream!Naru aka Gene. All of them will get a kiss from her. Whether or not it's willing remains to be seen, of course. Again, I would like to reinforce the statement that there will be no lemons in the story—graphic kisses, yes, but lemons, no.

Poor John. He's so not happy with me right now. He really did resist all the way. But! A good author can overcome all objections! Or is that a good lawyer? Hmm…

As always many, many thanks to **TitianWren**—whose name I think I actually spelled right! Go me. Titian has told me that she will happily accept offerings of sweets and various squashes. Don't forget to leave 'em for her, ladies and gentlemen. And a very many amount of thank you's to all my wonderful readers on both LiveJournal and forget to feed the authoress, either. I'm partial to cookies and brownies.

………

The grounds of his family's temple were beautiful. The shrine was nestled in a snug valley and surrounded by pine trees and mountain crags on all sides. At the top of the stairs leading up to the monastery, a golden statue of the Buddha stood, delighting the tourists. If he had a yen for every picture they took of it, he wouldn't need to work for a living. There were about one hundred temples on Mt. Koya and fifty or so offered lodgings to tourists who were there to visit mainly Okuno-in—the inner sanctuary leading to the largest cemetery in Japan, where Kobo Dashi, a good many of his disciples, and other important people were buried.

While it was true that he and his father had had a falling out, it didn't mean that he wasn't welcome to visit. His family would love to see him, he knew and lately, he'd contemplated going back and taking advantage of the general peace and quiet that lasted until dawn began to lighten the sky. The others he'd come to work with through SPR would probably enjoy a vacation at his family's temple; it was quiet and free from city disturbances. _All except Naru-bou—he'd have to remove the stick from his ass to enjoy anything beyond work. Mai's right, he really is a workaholic._

He was sitting in front of his father—who was watching him with abject disappointment. _Oops, looks like I spaced out on him again,_ he thought, sheepishly. _What piece of music was I concentrating on again?_

"Houshou! Are you listening to me? Did you hear a word I said?" the older man asked with exasperation.

"I'm sorry, Father. Please forgive me and repeat what you said," Houshou intoned respectfully. _Damn interfering old man,_ he thought menacingly.

His father sighed and closed his eyes. "You are your mother's son," he said.

Anger welled up inside Takigawa and he glared at his father viciously. "I'm your son, too!" he cried, clenching a fist. "It took both of you to make me, in case you'd forgotten!"

"Have I ever claimed otherwise?" his father asked, cracking open an eye to peer at his eldest child. "True, Houshou, we have our differences, but never once have I ever claimed that you were not my son."

Takigawa smiled bitterly. "Differences?" he asked.

"Yes, Houshou, differences. We don't see eye to eye. It's as apparent as the coming dawn. I wanted you to be a monk like me—of all your siblings, you showed the most promise, and so I trained you and taught you everything I know."

"The dawn doesn't come during the rain," he told his father.

"Don't be a smart ass."

Takigawa smiled. "I'm not ready to take your place yet, dad."

"Then continue as you are! One day, you will be," he said. "And when that day comes, you'll return for good."

Takigawa didn't say anything. _Maybe,_ he thought, looking away from his father. _My band won't last forever. And using my powers the way I have been makes me happy, even if I am smarting after almost every case._

A sharp 'thwack!' on his head reclaimed his attention. "Ouch!" he cried, glaring at his father and inspecting the place where he'd been hit with gentle, probing fingers.

"Well, if you'd stop going off into La-La-Land, I wouldn't have to resort to that. Now listen! There's not much time. Spells, Houshou, do you remember what I told you about them?"

Takigawa thought back. Hmm… he recalled a vague lesson or two about this very subject… but no, nothing was coming to mind. _How the hell old was I when he taught me this?_

His father sighed. "You don't remember. Very well, listen. They're dangerous. Your mantras and sutras can't dispel them—you really have no defense except yourself, my son. The spell you're dealing with is particularly insidious and right now, you're feeding it."

"I am?" he asked. _What spell…?_ "Mai!" he gasped.

His father nodded and crossed his arms. "Right. Now, unless you and that cute little girl are going to give me grandbabies to spoil rotten and send home—I'd suggest you wake up and regain your control before anymore damage is done."

"Dad!" he cried, a blush staining his cheeks.

"What? I can hope, right? Someday, my eldest son and heir will give me grandchildren," he said, looking wistful.

"Not with Mai, dad. She's too much like a baby sister."

"You've got three of them already. How many more do you need? Regardless," he said, before Takigawa could answer, "if this is how you see this 'Mai' then wake up already!"

………

Takigawa snapped back to himself. Tearing his mouth from Mai's, he shoved the sophomore away from him, fell to his knees, and buried his face in his hands. _Gods above,_ he thought, as shame and self-loathing filled him. _What have I done?_

"Mai," he croaked out, "Mai, gods, I'm so very, very sorry."

"Bou-san? Are you okay, now?" she asked, approaching him cautiously.

_Stupid, selfless, idiot,_ he thought. "I don't know," he said truthfully, looking at her. She looked delicious standing in front of him, concern for his well being written all over her face; her hair was mussed, her lips were swollen, and her uniform was in disarray. He felt the spell seize him again. "Mai-chan, go back to the base—go! Or else I'll end up doing it again and I won't be able to stop this time!"

Seeing the monk's serious, pleading expression, Mai wanted to offer comfort. After all, Bou-san was the brother she'd never had. When she saw his eyes darken with desire, she decided against offering any kind of consolation, turned tail, and ran.

Takigawa slumped down against the lockers that he'd pinned Mai to and hung his head between his knees. _At least she spared my face,_ he thought, ruefully. _Naru-bou's going to be so disappointed._ He squeezed a fist, driving his nails into his palm and using the pain as leverage. _Crude, but effective,_ he thought, listening to the steady pitter-patter of blood drip onto the dirty linoleum. Resisting the urge to chase her took more will power than he thought. He banged his head into the lockers behind him a few times until he was dizzy and the lockers sported some new dents. He slumped against the warm metal and flexed his hand, reveling in the feel of pain.

And that was how Lin found him: slouched against the dented lockers. _Well,_ he thought ruefully, _you can't blame your Shiki for this._ When Mai had charged into the base, the Shiki he'd left with her returned to him moaning about failure. It told him what happened before Mai could, and that it hadn't known what to do. Its orders had been to guard Mai from the high-school boys that would try to force anything on her. The orders had said not to harm anyone from Lin's group. _Perhaps I made a mistake,_ he thought, surveying the slumped man.

"Yo, Lin-san," the former monk greeted, not looking up. "Is she okay?" he asked.

"She's just fine," the Chinese man replied, crouching down in front of him, carefully avoiding the blood. "Let me see your charm."

The brunette dug it out of his pocket and handed it to him. Lin looked at the spell paper; it was black and starting to flake apart—it had completely degraded. Frowning, he pocketed the crumbling charm and grabbed Takigawa's bicep, intent on pulling the younger man to his feet. He didn't get the chance to—a very familiar voice stopped him.

"Lin-san? Takigawa-san? Are you both all right?"

Simultaneously, they both turned their heads to see Akira peering at them with concern.

_He is the last thing I need to see right now,_ Takigawa thought, gnashing his teeth together. The look on Lin's face indicated that his thoughts were much the same. _Is there no getting through to this kid?_

Takigawa had no problem with kids—wanted a few of his own someday—but this kid was unbearable. He honestly didn't know why his mother hadn't given him up for adoption.

"Takigawa-san, why are you sitting on the floor?" he asked questioningly. "Shouldn't you be at the base, or whatever you call it? You're bleeding," he said dumbly, catching sight of the dark red droplets on the floor.

Biting his cheek, Takigawa grinned at the young man. "I tried to get rid of the spirit standing behind you, kid. It failed and I ended up on the floor. End of story."

Akira jumped and peered behind him, trying to locate the ghost that Takigawa was talking about, but he couldn't see it. _Wait… I don't believe in ghosts anyways, and he knows it!_ He turned back to the monk. "Very funny, Takigawa-san," he said, putting his hands on his hips and glaring at the monk. "Really, I'm in stitches. So you tried to exorcise something and it failed—doesn't say much about you."

"Oy… kid, just because you're a skeptic, doesn't mean these things don't exist—"

"Anyways, what's he doing?" he said, gesturing to Lin. "Certainly he wasn't thrown to the floor with you, was he?"

The two men looked at each other, as if trying to communicate silently. Akira then noticed something odd. Lin-san's hand—it was gripping Takigawa's bicep. Were they… he gasped. _Surely not…_he told himself. He looked around surreptitiously, noting for the first time just how empty the hall was.

Puzzled, Lin and Takigawa watched the third-year back away from them a few feet. They watched his blue-brown eyes widen in a sudden revelation.

_What's he going to say this…_

"You guys weren't about to make out, were you?"

_…time—__**what**_ Lin thought, incredulously. _By all that's holy! Is there no end to this boy's stupidity,_ he wondered when what the boy said finally registered. _First he all but accuses me of having nefarious plans for Mai when she's asleep and now __**this**__. This is why I'm not fond of kids!_ He glared at his Shiki—if he didn't know better, he'd say they were snickering at him. Glimpsing at Takigawa, he very nearly cringed when he saw the speculative gleam in the former monk's eyes. _What's he planning,_ he wondered warily.

He didn't have the chance to contemplate. The years of training and relying on his reflexes and instincts kicked in once again. He threw his weight backwards just as Takigawa tugged at his wrist trying to pull him forwards. Still, the ex-monk had a slight advantage over him—he was sitting whereas Lin himself was crouching. Lin's knees struck the hard floor painfully and slipped a bit in the blood that he'd tried so hard to avoid. The hand that had been grasping Takigawa's arm slammed into the locker next to the monk's head—he felt his hand begin to smart and a tingling sensation traveling up his arm. It was with a grim satisfaction, the Chinese man noted breathing heavily, that their short tussle—if it could be called such— had ended in a stalemate. Had it not… Lin wouldn't let his mind contemplate the 'if not' bit.

Unfortunately, the monk still had hold of his wrist and the gleam in his eyes hadn't gone away; it had definitely brightened with mischief. "You hit the nail on the head, kid. Why? Did you want to watch?" he asked, gripping Lin's hand.

_He didn't—oh, gods, no!_ he thought. When Takigawa actually threaded their fingers together, adding to the illusion that they were lovers, it became tempting, oh, so tempting to call for his Shiki and let them rip him to shreds. He envisioned all the painful ways that his Shiki would make the ex-monk suffer.

The third-year's face turned a bit green and he glanced around again. "You know there are several empty classrooms along this corridor, don't you?" he stuttered.

Takigawa blinked. "We don't like classrooms," he said. "Too many desks, we'd have to move them—ruins the mood, you know? To say nothing of the mess."

"Ah… really?" the boy answered, his voice slightly higher in pitch. Obviously, this was making him quite uncomfortable; Lin wasn't too happy himself; the urge to kill the former monk was growing by the minute. He glared to his right where his Shiki were laughing at his current plight.

"Janitor's closet?" Akira asked, gesturing vaguely behind him.

Takigawa glanced at Lin and then at himself. His mouth creased into a thoughtful frown. "I don't think we'd fit. We're a bit big—no pun intended.

_If I slap him upside the head… would it help? No, that would only give the brat the idea that we were having a lover's spat or something,_ Lin thought, with resignation. He looked over at the third-year and noticed that the boy's face was a sickly shade of green. Lin could empathize with him in this case.

"Right then, where were we?" Takigawa asked. His unbloodied hand wrapped around the back of Lin's neck and pulled him forwards.

_If he dares—!_

"I'm outta here! You two have fun!"

They heard the rapid fall of footsteps race in the other direction.

"Takigawa-san, this had better be due to the lust spell over the school, and I swear, if you kiss me, you'll sorely regret it," Lin said, as the other man's mouth moved closer to his own.

It must have been his tone. Lin couldn't imagine why—it was only colder than the artic right then. All at once he was freed and Takigawa slumped back against the lockers again. He chuckled weakly. "Sorry," he said, apologetically. "I'm surprised that actually worked, considering how skeptical he is."

"Excuse me?" Lin asked, easing himself away. He couldn't move back quite as far as he wanted—the ex-monk still had his hand. He looked at it and then at the younger man pointedly.

Grinning, Takigawa unclasped his hand and allowed Lin to escape. The Chinese man moved away completely and glared at him, demanding an explanation. The ex-monk rubbed the back of his neck, peering down the hall in the direction that Akira had scampered off in. "I didn't want to tell him what really happened. On the other hand, I couldn't guarantee that he'd even buy that little act of mine, seeing how skeptical he is of everything else. Don't worry," he told the dark-haired man. "I seriously don't think of you in that light—I just couldn't think of any other way to get rid of that brat. The last thing we need is him hanging around Mai right now and blabbing to her. Naru-bou might actually kill him if he sees him."

Lin shook his head. _I don't even want to think about what Naru will say when he hears of this! Come to think of it, I don't want to know what the others will say, either._ He doubted that Takigawa would say anything, but Akira would return to the base to visit Mai at some point in time, and when that happened, everyone at SPR would know the story. "All the same, I feel the need to inform you that if you ever do that again, I'll let my Shiki rend you limb from limb."

"Ooo!" Takigawa said, teasingly. "There's a fancy way of saying I'll die and most painfully."

"You will," Lin replied, hauling the other man to his feet. "Can you walk?"

"Yeah. The only thing that's really hurt is my pride," the monk said, taking a few stumbling steps forward.

_Right,_ Lin thought. _He must have tried to beat himself up._ Lin thoughtfully surveyed the lockers that Takigawa had been leaning against. _Those dents look new. That idiot,_ he thought. _Surely his father taught him better techniques than the ones he used!_ "You seem to have quite a hard head, Takigawa-san," Lin said, dragging one of the monk's arms around his shoulders; he put his other arm around Takigawa's waist, to help support his slouching frame. Straightening, Lin glanced at the bassist. "Try not to kiss me this time, if you don't mind."

"Yeah, no problem. You're still upset."

"It's going to take me quite some time to get over that," Lin replied, starting to walk slowly.

"Point taken. But imagine if I had answered the negative."

Lin frowned. He knew what would have happened had Takigawa answered otherwise. "We'd be back at the base with Akira-san hurling accusations at you every which way. That doesn't mean that I have to like it."

"I know. Are you sure she's okay?"

"Positive," Lin told him decisively.

"Good."

_'All parents just want their children to be happy, Houshou-kun. And right now, you are. Your happiness makes us happy. Come back and visit, won't you? Bring your friends with you, especially that girl you consider to be yet another baby sister. And for heaven's sake, try not to forget your mother's birthday! It's in two weeks. I'm not getting a gift for you again or signing your name on a card, you lazy bum. Two weeks is plenty of time.'_

Takigawa stopped and wheeled around sharply, looking up and down the hall.

"Takigawa-san?" Lin asked.

"Nothing," the musician replied, fighting a wave of vertigo. "I thought…" he said trailing off. Lin waited patiently, watching the man's bewildered face. "I thought I heard my father's voice."

"Is your father dead?"

"No. Far from it. I talked briefly with him two days ago. Weird," he commented, shaking his head and making himself more dizzy. "I guess that's strange. Come to think of it, he helped me come back to myself when I was under the spell's influence."

"Let's go," Lin said. "Matsuzaki-san should examine you to see if you have a concussion."

The former monk frowned at the Chinese man. "You know, I'm tempted to respond with 'I'm not crazy.'"

"I wasn't implying that you were, and you know it. You are, however, stumbling something fierce and I can only imagine how many times you slammed your head into the lockers before I found you."

_Damn the man,_ Takigawa thought. _I don't know who's more observant, Lin or Naru._ "I wanted—no, had the most primal urge to take off after her when she started running back to the base." He opened his hand where his nails had been forcibly driven into the soft flesh of his palm. He stared at the bloody half-crescents decorating his hand. "This only helped so much. But the more I thought about it, the more I envisioned getting up and taking off after her… would you mind if I shut up now?"

"Finish it," Lin told him sternly, as they progressed slowly down the hallway. "It could be relevant, you know that."

"It's embarrassing."

"Who else besides me is going to hear you? You and I are the only ones in the hall, right now," Lin pointed out.

"I hate you," the monk groused, stumbling a bit

"We're even, then. I'm not too happy with you right now, either."

"Okay, okay—gimme a sec," the bassist said, pausing to collect his thoughts. "The more I thought about chasing after Mai, the more _excited_ I became." He looked over at Lin and found his expression thoughtful. "What?" Takigawa asked.

"Theoretically speaking, what would have happened if you'd chased and caught her?"

The brunette froze, bringing Lin to a sudden halt; a sardonic smile crossed the monk's face. "Probably would've tried to make her mine in every aspect of the word."

"The same thing with Naru; he virtually told her the exact same thing the other day."

"That's right—he did, didn't he?" Takigawa said, as they began to walk again. "Say, Lin-san, did Naru say anything about how he woke from the spell?"

"He didn't, no. Knowing Naru, he won't. Why?"

"Just curious if he received help from an outside source."

The Chinese man shrugged one shoulder.

"There was something I wanted to ask you—dammit, what was it again?" he muttered to himself. "It had to do with one of Mai's dreams…"

"Remember after you've received a clean bill of health."

"Yeah, okay," Takigawa said falling silent. He spoke up again a few minutes later. "Did Naru-bou ever tell you what happened when we stopped to pick up the allergy medicine you requested on the first day of this case?"

"No. Why?"

Takigawa started snickering. Lin waited patiently; if the bassist was laughing, obviously Naru hadn't done something he'd classify as 'too stupid.' In a low, conspiratorial voice, the monk recounted what had happened.

"Did he take it?" Lin asked, his eyes shining with mirth; there was a small smirk on his lips.

"Nah. He shoved the box away from him, took his change, and stormed out."

"He would, wouldn't he?"

"Oh, by the way, Lin-san?"

The Chinese man glanced at him questioningly.

"You didn't hear this from me."

"Hear what?" _My, won't the Professor and his wife get a kick out of __**that**?_

………

Yasuhara stared with vexation at the note posted on the door of his class. He couldn't say it hadn't been coming—the entire class knew it had. Many of he students had probably signed up for the course because of it. Still, he felt a little cheated; it had taken a lot of persuading on his part to convince his advisor to sign him up for the class. The least the university could do was have a back-up professor. Then again, this course was more of a specialty—not everyone could teach it. _Oh, well,_ he thought. _You have free afternoons until next semester, it seems. More time for your other classes, old boy,_ he told himself.

Turning, he walked out of the classroom building, intent on going home and relaxing—it wasn't like he had any homework or reading to do for the next couple of weeks; or papers, for that matter. He'd done them already. His Western Humanities professor had been flabbergasted when Yasuhara handed in the two listed papers for the first half of the semester. He couldn't understand why, though. He'd asked in detail about them after class one day because he was curious and wanted to get them done and out of the way. He'd done the same for other class assignments, too. It was a bit of a walk to the bus station—but the day was nice so he didn't mind it. His mother was surprised when he walked in and announced his arrival.

"Welcome back," she said. "Come to the kitchen and have a snack, Osamu."

He followed his mother into the cozy kitchen and paused to breathe in the scents of his mother's cooking.

"Well, Osamu? Are you coming?"

"Ah, yes, mother," he responded, stepping over to the kitchen counter where she set a plate of Daifuku in front of him. Pulling out a stool, he sat down. "Thank you. It's time to eat," he said, in a short prayer. Picking up one of the sweets, he bit into and munched—he did so enjoy his mother's cooking.

"Why are you home so early?" she asked, setting a glass of juice in front of him and helping herself to one of the sweet treats.

Yasuhara waited until he was finished chewing and took a sip of pineapple juice. "My afternoon class was cancelled for the rest of the semester."

She raised a brow in question.

"It seems the professor had her baby and is now on maternity leave. Apparently, she's the only one who can teach that class."

"You don't sound very upset," she observed.

"The bus ride calmed me down," he said, smiling and returning to his snack.

"You're terrible at lying, Osamu-kun."

"Oh? I've fooled people before, though, and very well, if I do say so myself."

"Those poor, deluded souls weren't your parents. And they didn't raise you, either," she said, shaking a finger at him with mock severity.

"You know me so well," he conceded. It was true—he could lie to anyone…except his parents. They simply saw right through it, his mother especially. "You must be psychic," he said, snagging another Daifuku from the plate and taking a big bite.

She shrugged. "I have a more logical explanation for you— I'm a mother," she said simply. "Specifically, your mother. It's a mother's prerogative to know her children. You received a phone call while you were at class," she told him. "The person who called commented that the real Shibuya-san would like to know if you'd be willing to assist with their latest project."

"Ah! Since I have afternoons free now, sure."

She stared at him.

"What?" he inquired.

"Nothing," she said shaking her head. "I'm a bit surprised that you're willing to simply jump into the fray without knowing all the details."

"Why Mother, whatever are you implying? You know I'm always willing to help out."

She gave him a knowing smile. "That's very true—so long as you either concocted the details, or had a hand in them. Anyhow, Shibuya-san—that is, if I talked to him—said to check the local paper and then call. The _Tokyo Shimbun_ is behind you on the table," she said, before he could ask.

"Thank you," he said, turning and grabbing it from where it rested. "On the subject of Shibuya-san… who knows if that curse at school would have gone away should it have succeeded?"

His mother smiled at him. "Try no cot to get hurt, Osamu-kun."

Nodding, he left the kitchen and made his way to his room. His room was simple, nothing fancy and neat as a pin. A neatly made, western-style, double bed sat in one corner and near it, his desk. A laptop—a gift from his parents upon acceptance into university—sat in the center of the workstation. To his left was a door that opened to his closet and straight across from the door leading to into his room sat a bookshelf that had books and manga neatly stacked on the dust-free shelves. The walls were mostly bare, except for a few posters here and there, mostly of academic nature, but there were a few RPG posters scattered. Crossing to his bed, he dumped his book bag onto it and stepped over to his desk. Moving the laptop to the corner, he sat down, opened the paper, and began to search for anything pertaining to what Shibuya-san might be working on—the man was extremely picky, and even _that_ was an understatement.

Convincing Shibuya-san to take the case at his former high school had consisted of a petition from the students and a great deal of pleading. And nothing in the paper was catching his eye. He thought back to the paper articles pertaining to his school—their titles were catchy. "Fire In A Deserted Room!" "Psychic Phenomena Continue," and his personal favorite: "Cause Unknown! Mysterious Food Poisoning."

"Magic, or Hormones?"

It seemed he'd found it.

"A little over a year ago, Shibuya Psychic Research, a company that specializes exclusively in psychic phenomena was called to Mountain Valley High School to investigate a series of strange events preventing the demolition of an old classroom building that had been condemned. Now, SPR has been called back; this time, to investigate a problem affecting the school proper.

"Or rather, it's male population.

"In a short period of time and for whatever reason, the male population of Mountain Valley High has developed a sudden and inexplicable infatuation with sophomore Taniyama Mai."

_Ta…Taniyama-san? _Yasuhara thought, stunned._ Just what trouble have you gotten yourself into __**this**__ time?_ He smoothed the newsprint and continued reading.

"According to sources, the events started off relatively mild. Taniyama-san was the reluctant recipient of flowers and chocolates for a week. All that changed in a bizarre turn of events when two upper classmen chased her from school and all the way to where she worked."

_Chased,_ he wondered, frowning. _Why? What happened—what changed,_ he questioned in his mind. _First flowers and candy and then chased. Something doesn't add up. What can happen in a week?_ He filed the questions away for later when he had more information to help shed light.

"Taniyama-san was unharmed by either of the young men."

_Thank heavens for that,_ Yasuhara thought, smiling and turning the page.

'We are thankful that Taniyama was unharmed and continues to remain so,' said Vice-Principal Kotoko Satsuma. 'We are also grateful that Shibuya-san and his team have agreed to return to the school and get to the bottom of this mess.'

_Mess,_ Yasuhara thought. _She says it so easily—like it's something that she can sweep underneath the carpet and hide._

"What is going on and how close is SPR to finding the responsible party, are the two top questions on everyone's minds.

"Shibuya Kazuya-san, president and owner of Shibuya Psychic Research could not be reached for a comment, but his associate, Koujo Lin-san commented briefly in a phone interview:

"'We've just started our investigation. As of now, we do not have any theories or suspicions. This could be the result of a malicious spirit, a botched spell that a curious student tried, or even something as mundane as hormones. This _is_ high school after all.'

"'I suppose it could be hormones,' said Akemi Tsushino, the biology teacher in response to Lin-san's claim. 'If the boys were hypnotized.'

"Parents, teachers, and some students are also scoffing at the idea of magic. According to one student, they'd rather it was a malicious spirit or hormones.

"'…something that can be exorcized. This school needs to return to normal soon!' said third year Yukimura Hotaru-san, the secretary of the Student Council.

_Looks like your hormone theory isn't very popular, Lin-san,_ Yasuhara thought, grinning. _But it's so strange that he'd say that. Especially when he knows that it can't be because of hormones. The article mentioned the male population of Taniyama-san's school. I'm going to assume that's not just students. So it must extend to the teachers, as well, and they're beyond the age of high-school hormones._

"Others still aren't so sure and are willing to accept that magic might indeed be the culprit. Some even point their fingers at Taniyama-san herself, believing her to be the cause.

"'It wouldn't be surprising if she was. She could have gotten a spell from where she works, seeing that she works for SPR,' said Vice-Principal Satsuma."

_Cruel-hearted witch! Taniyama-san would never do such a thing!_

"'Shibuya-san himself told me that they had quite a few materials at their office that Taniyama could have gotten a hold of.'"

_Sh…Shibuya-san?_ Yasuhara thought incredulously. _Why would you incriminate Taniyama-san like that… wait, why __**would**__ he? As much as he makes fun of her, I can't see him taking on a case only to sell her to the wolves. What __**else**__ did Shibuya-san say about this, I wonder._

"'We do not believe that Taniyama-san is in any way or form responsible for the current crisis at her school,' Lin-san said with firm finality.

"Taniyama-san remains unavailable for comment.

"Is it magic, a spirit, or hormones? The question of what is causing the odd events here at Mountain Valley High remains, for now, unanswered."

Yasuhara put the paper down and sat back. _Taniyama-san, how do you manage to attract so much trouble? Is it a gift?_ It had to be, Yasuhara decided.

Leaving his room, he wandered back to the entrance hall and grabbed the notepad and portable phone from the small table they rested on and retreated back to his room, but not before sneaking into the kitchen and snatching one last Daifuku from the half-gone plate. Taking a small bite and chewing slowly, he dialed the number quickly and waited. After a few rings, he was rewarded with Lin-san's voice.

"Ah, Lin-san, good afternoon. It's Yasuhara."

"Good afternoon, Yasuhara-san," Lin replied, his tone as polite as ever. "Hold on a moment and I'll get Naru for you."

"Thank you very much, Lin-san."

"A moment."

Yasuhara could almost see the Chinese man bowing. True to his word, however, Shibuya-san's smooth baritone came over the line.

"Yasuhara-san, how may I help you?"

"Shibuya-san, good afternoon. It's good to hear from you again—but shouldn't I be asking _you_ that?"

"You read the article, then." It was a statement, not a question.

"I did," Yasuhara replied. "She's all right, isn't she?" he asked tentatively. He wanted to believe the paper, he really did, but the media was generally biased and had to be taken with a grain of salt. "Not that I think the article is lying, but…" he trailed off. He wasn't a violent person by any stretch of the word; he preferred to hide his claws until the time was right, but Taniyama was someone he'd considered to be a genuine friend. In high school, he'd had few of those, but many fake friends—students who were friends with him based on his popularity and connections in the school.

"She's just fine, Yasuhara-san; the article wasn't lying."

He could almost hear Shibuya-san smiling and he reminded himself that Shibuya-san didn't smile very often; Yasuhara didn't think he'd ever seen the man smile. "Well, that's a relief," he replied, a smile blossoming over his face. "How can I help?"

"I know you're in classes at university, so let me ask first if you have any free time."

"In the mornings, no, but I do have quite a bit in the afternoon as of today."

"I see. That's good to hear. Here's what I'd like you to do: I need some research done on the grounds where Mai's school is. I want to know what was here before the school and I want as much information as you can find about it."

Reaching into the top drawer of his desk, Yasuhara pulled out a pad and pen and hastily scribbled down what Shibuya-san had just said. "Anything else?" he asked.

"For the moment, no. Bring it by when you can. The address is—"

"That's not necessary, Shibuya-san; I know where Taniyama-san's school is located."

Silence greeted him at that statement. _Eh? What's this?_ Yasuhara wondered. "Shibuya-san? Is everything all right?" he asked curiously.

"It never fails to amaze me how many people know where to find Mai," Naru said at last.

Yasuhara couldn't resist. "Why, Shibuya-san, don't tell me you're jealous!"

His effort was rewarded with a dial tone. Yasuhara pulled the phone from his ear and stared at it with mild surprise. A gleeful, albeit wicked, smile lit up his features. Oh, he couldn't wait to see Taniyama! Re-folding the paper, Yasuhara tossed it to his bed and pulled his laptop back to the center of the desk. Opening the top, he turned it on. Well, he might as well get started right here before venturing out to do more legwork.

………

**Thursday, day six.**

Lin fought the urge to call his Shiki every time he heard Akira-san's voice. It really hadn't been a very good day—well, it had started going downhill when he and Mai arrived at the school. Boys galore had come to Mai, eager to give her the flowers and candy they'd bought for her. When she accepted them, however, the boys tried to swoop in and claim a kiss. Lucky for Mai, she'd gotten good at dodging from unpleasant things—one of the perks of working on so many paranormal cases and always being the one to get attacked by whatever they were investigating. Then she'd been kicked out of her third class when a fight broke out—she'd relocated to the base room to do her work where they could all keep an eye on her, and now, Akira-san had come back to harass them. After a two-day grace period, the little brat had returned and was severely trying everyone's patience—Mai's included. John was currently in his role as the mediator, and he was trying his best to get Akira-san to leave so they could get back to work. The young lady that had accompanied Akira-san was trying her damndest to get him to leave the room, too.

Lin sighed. He was tired—tired of this case; he wanted to wrap it up and soon. He wasn't weary of protecting Mai—he did that in his own covert way, anyhow. But he was sick of re-laying protections every morning so he didn't fall victim to the curse. With just two stolen kisses it had become stronger, so his shields against it had to become stronger too. He watched Akira carry on a one-sided argument with Naru and felt a vicious pain begin to stab mercilessly at his temples. Reaching one hand up, he began to massage his forehead in an attempt to alleviate the pain. He really couldn't take much more of this. E-mails from various acquaintances that he'd contacted about this case were sitting neglected—and they were important; they might be able to shed some light on this case. Again, the girl tugged pleadingly at Akira's uniform in an effort to make him stop. He ignored her. Giving up, she stepped back and pulled her long, thick braid over her shoulder and began to play with it nervously.

_That's it,_ Lin decided after the fifth accusation leveled at Naru, standing up. _This has continued for far too long; it's high time for him to leave._ Before he could say anything, however, the door opened again, revealing Yasuhara. If the university freshman was nonplussed with the scene in front of him, he certainly wasn't showing it—his smile didn't waver an inch; if anything, it grew a tad bit wider, the smile of an actor; the smile he'd used on their case in Suwa when he was impersonating Naru. A grin of his own tugged at Lin's lips—he was sure that Akira-san wasn't going to like Yasuhara one bit. It was a delightful realization—he couldn't wait.

Spying her friend, Mai aimed a sunny smile at him. "Yasuhara-san!" she exclaimed in delight. "What are you doing here?"

Turning to the sophomore, Yasuhara's smile gentled and became less of an actor's smile and more genuine. "Taniyama-san, it's been a while, hasn't it?" he said, shrugging off his small book bag and going over to her. "How are you?" he asked, grinning down at her.

Here, her smile turned wan. "Holding up," she said. "It's been a bit rough, lately."

"So I've heard," he responded, his tone sympathetic.

"And who might you be?" Akira asked, breaking off his conversation with Naru and turning to Yasuhara.

"Ah, I'm Yasuhara, pleased to meet you," he said, bowing to the third-year.

"Yasuhara-san, this is Akira-kun; he's the big brother of one of my best friends," Mai said when Akira simply watched the other boy.

Unbending a bit, the third-year approached the newcomer. "Hiritomo Akira," he said shortly. "How do you know Mai-chan?"

Yasuhara smiled widely. "I'm her tutor. Didn't she tell you?"

Bou-san, Lin, and John shared a short grin with each other; Naru smirked, obviously pleased that Yasuahara's arrival had distracted Akira. Trust Yasuhara-san to easily slip into acting mode.

"And who might you be?" Yasuhara asked smoothly, turning to the young lady standing next to Akira.

"Yukimura Hotaru," she said bowing.

"Yukimura-san is the secretary of the Student Council," Mai said, getting up from the couch and going over to Yasuhara's side.

"Really? And you're a third-year too, are you not?" he asked, remembering her from the article he'd read.

"Yes. How did you know?" she asked.

"Let me guess," Akira said, "you're psychic."

Yasuhara blinked and looked surprised, but not for long; his smile returned in full. "Nothing of the sort. She was in the _Tokyo Shimbun_. The article that quoted her labeled Yukimura-san as a third-year."

Stunned was the best description for Akira right then. Or flabbergasted—yes, flabbergasted was better, Lin decided, sitting down once again and trying not to laugh. The boy looked like a brick had hit him.

"So you're not psychic."

Yasuhara chuckled. "Afraid not. I'm just Taniyama-san's tutor. She called me last night and asked me to come by today. She had a feeling she wouldn't be in class and directed me here. We've had many study sessions in this room—although, not with so many people." He turned to Mai. "I hope this won't ruin your concentration, Taniyama-san. You know I'm quite the slave-driver when I tutor people."

Mai smiled. "It shouldn't, Yasuhara-san."

"Wonderful!" Beaming, he turned back to Akira and put a friendly hand on his shoulder. "Well, then, if you'll excuse us, I'll get started on drilling information into Taniyama-san's head," he said, steering Akira towards the door. "She skips so much school, we wouldn't want her to become dumb."

"No…that's true, we don't want that," Akira said, bemused.

"Then you won't mind coming back and talking to Taniyama-san later? Perhaps tomorrow? I have a feeling that by the time we're done she'll be snapping and snarling like a piranha. It'd be a shame if any friend of Mai's were on the receiving end of it," Yasuhara said, oblivious to Mai's boiling temper. Opening the door, he all but shoved Akira out of the room, all the while thanking him for his concern, and no, really, he could manage tutoring her on his own just fine—he'd been doing so for several months—thank you anyways for the generous offer.

Shaking her head and smiling, the young lady turned to Mai and bowed deeply. "I'm sorry about him, Mai-chan. He usually doesn't act like that."

"I know. He's been acting so weird lately!"

"Do you think it's stress?"

_As if,_ Lin thought. The only one who had the right to claim stress right now was Mai.

"Maybe," the sophomore said, shrugging.

Hotaru looked at her watch. "Well, lunch is over. I need to get going. I didn't even get to eat anything," she complained. Approaching Mai, she gave the girl a brief hug and a pat on the head, before she bowed to everyone else in the room and took her leave.

"What's wrong, Mai?" Takigawa asked, when the girl was gone.

"Yukimura-san's also acting oddly," she said thoughtfully.

"How do you mean, Mai-san?" John asked, looking at her with curiosity.

Mai frowned. "She's…"

"What?" Naru asked.

Mai shook her head. "Back to normal, I guess."

"Eh? What do you mean?" Ayako asked.

"Ever since she and Akira broke up, she hasn't been the same—crying all the time, unable to be in the same room with him, that sort of thing. But today, she was in the room and even trying to get him to leave all of us alone. I wonder how she got over him so fast. She was really broken up about their relationship ending."

"The mind works in mysterious ways," Yasuhara said, rejoining them. "Whew! Where do you find such friends, Taniyama-san?" he asked.

"He came with a friend," she said, giving him a strained smile. "He's always treated me like a little sister, though. This affection of his is new."

"I don't think he sees you as a sister anymore. I'd say he has a very big crush on you."

Mai flinched. "Seems that way, doesn't it?" she replied, chuckling weakly.

Ayako approached Yasuhara and handed him a charm. "What's this?" he asked, taking and looking at it curiously.

"We're dealing with a lust spell, Yasuhara-san," Naru said. "Keep the charm on you at all times and check it often to make sure it doesn't degrade completely."

Nodding, Yasuhara tucked the talisman into the pocket of his shirt. Going back to his backpack, he pulled out a sheaf of papers and approached Naru's side, beginning to explain to him what he'd uncovered yesterday and earlier in the morning.

Bou-san watched the two young men for a moment before going over to Lin and flopping down next to him. "Yo, Lin-san, got a minute?" he asked.

Mildly annoyed at the interruption, Lin looked up, intending to ask Takigawa to wait until he was done reading through his e-mails; at the grave look on the man's face, he nodded and minimized what he was reading, giving the former monk his full attention. "What can I do for you, Takigawa-san?"

"There was something I wanted to talk to you about the other day, but I couldn't remember."

Ah, the other day…when he'd succumbed to the spell. Lin waited for him to continue.

"While I was walking with Mai to the base—just before the spell got me—I was thinking about this entire situation."

"How do you mean?"

"I was wondering if this was just a spell, if you follow me."

The Chinese man frowned. "Vaguely," he said, motioning for him to continue.

"Can spells change into curses?" Takigawa asked. "I mean, I know the flaw of my logic is that curses _are_ spells, but—" he said, breaking off before he started rambling about a subject he had little to no knowledge on.

Lin looked at him thoughtfully, wondering where he was going with this. "Some can. It depends on who cast it and what they were aiming for. You're essentially right to say that curses are spells—they are. Spells, however, are a broad term—though don't tell the dictionary I said so. They're words—or phrases—and magical energy formed into an order. Curses, on the other hand, are specific in nature. They're a spell meant to cause harm any which way the caster wants—no more and no less."

"Thanks for clarifying that," the bassist said, nodding. "Now that you've explained, here's what I was wondering just before succumbing. We've claimed that this is "'just a spell.'" What if it's not? The other day, Mai told me that in her dream, she saw the spell as a dark red cloud over the school, and then she saw a black wisp travel into the center of the cloud and curl up. I began to wonder if the spell had changed, somehow. And I started thinking—that black phantasm…what if it represented a stolen kiss? At that time—"

Takigawa broke off and nodded grimly, seeing that Lin followed his line of thought at last.

Lin brought his hand up to his mouth in thought. "Naru's kiss. Which means, that the next time she dreams, there'll be another wisp to add to that one that's already there."

"The kiss I stole," Takigawa said, nodding. He looked at Lin curiously. "She hasn't dreamed anything lately?"

"If she has, she hasn't mentioned it. If you're right about this being a curse instead of a spell, it means we've been way off base. The question isn't why it was cast—it's what the aim of casting it is." He gestured to the computer screen and brought up the e-mail that he'd been reading. "An associate of mine from England," he said. "I contacted him because he's dealt with something similar. The lust spell he dealt with had been cast as a punishment."

"Punishment? Lust isn't necessarily negative, is it?" Takigawa asked. "How can it be punishment?"

Lin looked over at Mai, who was working on her schoolwork, oblivious to them all, and then back at the former monk. "Loss of innocence is quite the punishment when it's violent."

Takigawa's eyes widened and he very nearly choked. "Mai…" he stuttered, getting up and taking a step towards her. Lin stopped him.

"Don't," the Chinese man warned in a low voice. "We're not going to tell anyone until she's out of the room—we can't. She'll become hysterical if we do."

That calmed the former monk down and he sank back into the chair. "All right, how do we get her out of the room so we can tell the others?"

Lin looked over at the sophomore and then at John. "You'll have to relay this to Brown-san later. Taniyama-san," he called.

"Mai," she said, automatically, not looking up. She was very sick of hearing 'Taniyama-san.' It sounded so impersonal and unfriendly—she hated that. Yasuhara-san, she decided, was the next person she worked on with that.

Lin resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Mai," he said.

She looked up at him. Reaching into his pocket, Lin produced the keys to the van, setting them on the table. "There are some documents I need you to retrieve. They should be in the back, in a manila envelope. Brown-san, will you accompany her?"

"Sure," the young exorcist said. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his charm to make certain it hadn't fully degraded. Seeing that it was gone further than he felt comfortable with, he handed it to Ayako and claimed a fresh one from the box. Looking at Mai, he smiled. "Coming, Mai-san?"

She nodded and stood. Going over to where Lin and Bou-san sat, she grabbed the keys and left without a word.

"Heck of a lie, even for you," Takigawa commented when they were out of the room.

"Who said it was a lie? I was telling the truth. They're not here because Taniyama-san got bombarded with boys when we arrived."

"Mai," Takigawa corrected.

Lin glared at him. "Don't you start, too."

"Sorry," he said, holding his hands up placatingly. "Why John?" Takigawa asked.

"Would _you_ try anything with a priest looking at you with disappointment?"

Takigawa considered. "Nope." He looked at the others in the room—now or never. "Ah, Lin-san and I have some news," he announced.

………

Outside, Mai searched the back of the van with mounting frustration. She was going to kill Lin-san for sending her on a wild goose-chase. There was no manila envelope anywhere! _I'll bet he sent me out here so he could talk to the others in private!_ He was so going to get it.

"Anything yet, Mai-san?" John asked.

"No," she replied angrily. "I'm beginning to think we've been had, John."

"Now, Mai-san," John said soothingly. "Why would Lin-san do that?"

"So he could talk to everyone else without me in the room!" she all but snarled.

_Actually,_ John thought, _that does seem like something that Shibuya-san and Lin-san would do. I suppose they'll bring me up to speed later._ He watched the frustrated girl continue to poke around without success. Climbing into the back of the van, he smiled at her sympathetically. "Mai-san, I'll help you look, okay? Lin-san said that we're looking for a manila envelope, correct?"

She nodded. Rolling up his sleeves, John began to search around and under the shelves lining the van. _Poor girl,_ he thought, as he hunted around the back. _Why does she always seem to be the one that horrible things happen to,_ he wondered, reaching underneath a shelf with questing fingers. They landed on something. Holding his breath, he slid it towards him and his eyes lighted upon the elusive envelope Lin had sent them hunting for.

"Mai-san," he said, smiling jubilantly, turning to show her his find.

Mai turned around. "You found it!" she exclaimed, happily. "Thank you, John!" she said.

He smiled shyly. "No problem, Mai-san," he replied, holding it out to her. _From what we've been told, she's had two kisses stolen—and from our own party. Surely that means something, doesn't it? But what?_ John wondered, as she reached over to take it. _First Shibuya-san and then Takigawa-san. Who's next, I wonder?_

She scooted closer to him and took the envelope and opened it, pulling out one of the papers. She frowned. _I can't read this at all!_

"Mai-san?"

"I hope this is right," she told him, "because I can't read this at all."

John leaned forward and looked over the paper. He couldn't read it either—much less identify the language, seeing that he was looking at it was upside-down. He moved over to sit next to Mai and took another look. _Italian,_ John thought. _It's in Italian. Too bad—if it were in Latin, German, or French, I could translate it for her._ "Sorry, Mai-san," he told her with regret.

"Eh?" she asked, looking at him.

He smiled at her. "It's in Italian. I never studied Italian, or I'd translate the page for you."

She smiled. "Don't worry about it. I don't think I'm that curious, anyhow. I wonder if there's anything in Japanese," she said, digging through the packet.

_Two kisses,_ he thought watching her. _Why am I so obsessed with how many kisses have been stolen from her? I'm certainly not going to add to the number._ He then noticed that Mai was sitting very close to him—or he was sitting close to her. _Same difference,_ he thought, absentmindedly. Something about the situation unsettled him. _Should I check my charm?_ He looked at his watch. _No, we've only been here for fifteen minutes. The other one lasted for a good three hours and probably would have lasted longer had I not decided to play it safe._

Two kisses. Shibuya-san first—Takigawa-san second.

_What's wrong with me?_ John wondered, frowning. _Why can't I stop thinking about that. It's like my mind is going in circles and refuses to drop the subject of Mai-san having two kisses stolen already._

"John?"

He flinched but didn't answer her.

"John?" she asked again. "Are you all right?" She scooted closer to peer at his face. He looked okay—just a bit troubled. "John, what is it?"

_The very question,_ he thought sardonically as thoughts of Shibuya-san and Takigawa-san kissing Mai floated around his mind. It hit him then. _I'm…I'm jealous!_ he thought incredulously. _How can I be, though? I don't care… I do,_ he realized miserably. _I do care. I've taken a vow of celibacy—I'm not allowed to kiss an attractive woman. …And why not? Why can't I? Just once, I want to do something like kiss a girl._ Unthinkingly, John pressed Mai into one of the shelves, capturing her lips with his.

The papers in her hand scattered to the floor of the van and her eyes widened. _Oh, John,_ she thought sadly, as he pressed himself closer and deepened the kiss; one hand landed on her back and pulled her closer, the other went to her neck to hold her in place.

A lone tear slipped from her eye and landed on one of the many scattered papers. _Not you too,_ she thought forlornly. _John._

**A/N:** Ah, no, I don't know if Takigawa has any brothers or sisters. I just decided that he did for the purposes of this story. Please don't ask if it's true—I really have no clue. Hey! That rhymes. On the subject of Mai's school—I think Mountain Valley is actually what Mai's family name translates to; I'm borrowing it for the name of Mai's high school since Ono-sensei never mentioned it in the novels.


	7. One less Three and counting

**Chapter Seven: One less; three and counting…**

I find it interesting that we know very little about John except that he's from Australia and as of manga volume five is twenty years old. So I've taken artistic license and made up a semi-past for John. Whether or not it's true, I have no clue. I'm going to assume it's not; it'd be a hell of a coincidence if it were; don't hold your breaths.

I would like to reinforce that I don't own the song "Hungry Eyes," sung by Eric Carmen. Please tell me you guys know what _Dirty Dancing_ is. _::sigh::_ If you don't, google it. Don't review asking me.

Also, I do not recall ever saying that _Shades of Lust_ will end up as NaruxMai. **There are no definite pairings**. What I can tell you is that it's looking like this will end up as a triangle pairing. I leave the two guys up to your guesses, even though its pretty much decided. XD

Just who is Hotaru Yukimura-san? Some of you have hazarded guesses. Y'all know the saying however, "Ask me no questions and I'll tell you no lies." Sapph, be quiet.

**Warning!** Just to let everyone know: the next **two** chapters _following_ this one will be heavy LinxMai—of the lime variety, not lemon—and a sprinkle of GenexMai in chapter nine. If you don't like these pairings, I'm very sorry; please wait until chapter ten to continue reading. I will post this warning in both chapters, just so you guys know.

Anyways—on we go, yes? A very big thank you to **TitianWren** my awesome beta reader. I would also like to hand out big thank you's to the following people: **Lady Nightshade, Azamiko, thejenx, honeysempai, and Runesque **for their help. Trust me, without them, this chapter would not have been possible and it would have been full of mistakes. Thank you all for your contributions on how confession works in Roman Catholicism; you guys have no idea how appreciative I am that you guys were willing to answer my questions, seeing as it's very rude by society's standards to ask questions dealing with religion. Yes, Kyia is old school—what? And of course, thanks to all my readers both on LiveJournal and Fanfiction Network.

And, a fabulous quote! "Actually, it just isn't mice."—thejenx. Being ordered to write, I will tell you all right now, is a pet peeve of mine. Please don't do it, it's not mice—sorry, nice.

………

_I never thought the priest would give in so easily!_ she crowed watching him as he pressed Mai roughly into the shelves without breaking the kiss.

_Why?_

_Because he's a priest,_ she said lamely.

_He's also very young. Nineteen or twenty—barely old enough to be called an adult,_ came the sardonic reply.

_I guess that's true. _

_You seem worried._

_I am, _she admitted.

_Why?_

_Because they're getting close, aren't they? I swear that man whose been watching over Mai looked at me with suspicion—like he knew, or had an inkling._

_He doesn't._

_But maybe he does! _

_He has his hands full __**trying**__ to protect the girl. Notice that he hasn't exactly been successful where it counts: his own group mates. I'm not targeting the insignificant boys of this school; they're the added bonus to make her squirm. I'm targeting those closest to her to maximize the damage._

_But it's not working! That man guarding her hasn't given in yet! Staying with her all the time, he should have tried to ravish her by now! Why hasn't he?_

_Because he's protected by something. I can't yet put my finger on what. When we were there in that… how do you say it?_

_Base room?_

_Yes, that. When we were there, I thought I sensed Shikigami, but I couldn't find them, or pinpoint whom they belonged to. Still, the more kisses that are stolen, the weaker his protections will grow. Don't worry; he'll give in sooner or later too. And that one in her dreams will too._

_You're right._ She grinned. _Three kisses stolen,_ she said, smiling exuberantly at her reflection.

Her reflection smirked back. _Four more to go, and then curtains for Taniyama Mai._

With that smile on her face, she left the bathroom with a spring in her step.

………

"I want to do something meaningful with this gift of mine! All my life I've been able to sense spirits; if they're strong enough, I can even see them! What's law going to bring me except misery? I want to attend Seminary and become an exorcist. I want to put tormented souls to rest! Why can't he see that!" John raged, taking a healthy swallow of beer. His tone turned bitter, "My father says: 'You're going to study Business Law, John, just like I did and my father before me. I've built a fine business here and you're going to take over my company when you've become a lawyer.' I'm supposed to serve your father and other clients the same way my father has. Does what I want mean nothing?"

"How many times are we going to rehash this, John? Besides, mate, you defied your family and went to Seminary, didn't you? Aren't you a representative of the Roman Catholic Church?"

John said nothing for a long while. "This… isn't how this happened. You made the comment that I was coming of age soon and I could do whatever I wanted, regardless of what my father said."

"Yeah, mate; that's true. And when we're done talking, we start to make our way back to civilization—some ten miles away because your old man sure made you mad—when I walk right into a Mulga that had eggs. She sure wasn't happy with me."

"You weren't drunk, Kerry. It was only one bottle of beer. I've seen you consume more than that in one sitting."

"Back at ya, mate."

John gripped the beer bottle and stared at the ground. "It shouldn't have happened in the first place," he muttered.

"Mate, what's done is done. I walked right into it—I should have been more careful. You're not to blame."

"It doesn't change the fact that I feel like I am."

Kerry shook his head, sending his shaggy brown hair flying around his face. "I worry about you, mate."

"Still?" John asked.

"We never stop worrying about the people we love."

"How very true," John replied with a gentle smile. "I wonder if you're happy," he said musingly, looking out at the horizon.

"I'm not in any pain, if that's what you're wondering."

"That's something, then."

"So," Kerry said cheerfully, "since you're a priest and all—are you allowed to kiss girls?"

John looked at Kerry with exasperation. "You know I'm not, and don't try to tempt me, either."

"Who's tempting who, man? I'd say that curse has you wrapped around its proverbial finger. You're doing a good job devouring that girl's mouth. Not that I blame you—she's very cute."

John looked around, clueless. "What girl?" he asked blankly. "We're ten miles from civilization and it's just the two of us."

"Oh, man," Kerry moaned, burying his face in his hands. "John, you're my best mate, but sometimes, you make me fret. This is a _memory_. It's already happened. You're not really here, either. I'll bet the other two didn't have this much trouble," he groused.

Other two? Something clicked. Shibuya-san and Takigawa-san—they were the other two who'd stolen a kiss from Mai. "You're right, I'm not here. I'm in the back of Shibuya-san's van, kissing Mai-san like there's no tomorrow." He smiled bitterly. "I really did give in, didn't I?"

"You didn't put up much of a fight," Kerry said kindly.

"I suppose I didn't. Jealousy and want," he said. "They consumed my thoughts." John looked at the beer bottle thoughtfully and tipped it back, finishing the contents. The cold, Australian lager ran down his parched throat. "Old times sake." Gripping the bottle by its neck he smiled at his best friend. "Thank you for helping me today. I still miss you, Kerry, every day."

"I know. But at some point, you'll have to move on." Standing, Kerry held out his hand to his blond friend—his gray eyes sparkled with warmth, but held just a hint of sadness. "It was good to see you again, mate," he said quietly. "I was actually hoping you'd stay clueless a little longer so we could talk and catch up. You always did figure things out quickly—just my luck." He looked towards the horizon and nodded once.

"We'll talk another time, friend," John replied, gripping Kerry's hand and giving it a firm shake. Letting go, he stepped back and turned to face the direction where Kerry was looking. "I'll be seeing you," he said, hurtling the bottle as hard as he could towards the line where the sky and the ground met.

The dream shattered. John tore himself away from Mai and scrambled as far away as he could, watching her with wide eyes. She blinked and stared back at him in shock.

"John?" she asked. "Are you back?"

"Yes, Mai-san. I'm so very sorry about that."

A suspicious look entered her eyes. "John, are you going to give into it again? Do I need run back to the base?"

The young exorcist smiled at her weakly. "No, Mai-san; I promise I'm not going to be over-taken by the spell again. You won't need to dash back like the last two times. I'll escort you back to the base room as soon as we pick up these papers. After all, Lin-san's counting on us to have them, isn't he?" That said, he started to gather them, not caring if there was a particular order that they belonged in.

Hesitantly, Mai began to help him, keeping an eye on him just in case. Giving Mai a strained smile, he handed her the papers and climbed out of the van, waiting for her to exit. Giving herself a few minutes to compose herself, she smoothed the papers and stuffed them back into the envelope they came from. Lin-san would just have to sort them back out, she decided. Taking a deep breath, Mai crawled out of the van, trying to ignore how sore her back was from being shoved against the shelves. She certainly hoped no one saw the imprints—especially the SPR group. Poor John didn't need that embarrassment; he would have enough to deal with, she was sure of it.

She found him staring with vexation at the spell-paper that he'd gotten from Ayako; a ferocious frown was emblazoned on his lips and it seemed out of place on his normally peaceful face. Turning her gaze back to the spell paper, she felt her eyes widen: it was completely black. She gasped and John smiled at her grimly.

"You just got that," Mai said quietly. She checked her watch. "You've only had it for twenty minutes. How could it degrade that fast?"

"I have a suspicion, but no more than that," the exorcist said, returning his attention to it.

"Is it because I've had three kisses stolen now?"

"That probably plays a part, yes," John said. "After all, the spell's gotten just a bit stronger with each kiss. However, I hesitate to name that as the only reason."

"Then what?" Mai asked, as they started to walk back to the base.

"I recall Shibuya-san telling me that Matsuzaki-san had cleansed the base room."

"Yeah, she did. And both she and Bou-san made the charms that keep the room from being affected by the spell."

"I thought as much. I think that's why the charms are degrading so fast, once they're out of the room. I've been in that room all day; you saw what the charm I had previously looked like. This one, on the other hand," John said, waving it in the air, "lasted only twenty minutes, if that. It might have degraded in less time and I think it's safe to assume that it did. Mai-san," he said, stopping her just outside the base room. "Please let me tell the others on my own," he said.

Surprised, Mai nodded.

A relieved smile spread across John's face. "Thank you," he said, opening the door and following her inside.

………

Lin watched the scene with frustration. She'd had another kiss stolen from her—and from the one person that they thought they wouldn't have to worry about. If Naru weren't so adamant about the counter-curse, this might not have happened and they might have wrapped up the case already. He turned his attention back to the exorcist when Naru asked him a question.

"What were you thinking just before you kissed Mai?"

John frowned. "I found myself jealous," he confessed.

Naru turned to the ex-monk. "Bou-san? How about you?"

"Same here. I found myself envious that after all I've saved her from and all the treats I've treated her to, I haven't gotten a kiss in return."

Mai looked at him with disbelief and he shrugged at her. "Believe it or not, I couldn't help myself. That's part of the spell, I think."

"What about you, Naru?" Lin asked.

"Me? What about me?"

"What were you thinking just before you kissed Taniyama-san?"

Naru frowned. "We were standing under that big sakura tree and I was thinking about kissing her; then I started wondering if that would be her first kiss, or had Akira-san already taken that from her." Naru paused, looking at Lin steadily. "You're asking me if I was jealous," he stated. "Perhaps I was."

Mai stared at him with exasperation and stamped her foot in frustration.

"In our defense, Mai, it's not our fault," Naru said, looking at her calmly.

"Lin-san, what part does jealousy play in a lust spell?" Takigawa asked.

"A big one, I'm afraid." He looked at the rest of the group. "We know that this spell is being used for punishment. What caused this I don't yet know. Here's what I can tell you, based on what you all have said. This curse is feeding off the negative aspects of lust; I don't need to tell you what happens if it continues to feed. What I do need to tell you is that it's building up to something. Currently, it's using three emotions; the most obvious ones are anger and jealousy. More may manifest, but for now, those two seem to be the primary."

"Anger?"

Lin nodded. "Naru, you were jealous that Akira-san might have taken Taniyama-san's first kiss; this probably angered you as well."

Naru looked thoughtful. "That could be; I don't quite remember what I felt before I kissed her."

"Takigawa-san, you were jealous that Naru had taken Taniyama-san's first kiss. You were also upset because despite all that you've done for her, you've received nothing close to a kiss in return. Brown-san, you were jealous that she'd been kissed by the other two and you were upset that you weren't allowed to do the same. Am I right, thus far?" Lin asked.

"Yes," John said, without hesitation.

"Yeah, right on, Lin-san," the former monk said, nodding.

Lin looked at Naru expectantly. Frowning, the younger man nodded grudgingly.

"There you have it."

"You said three emotions. What's the third?" Naru asked, crossing his arms and leaning against the table.

"You surprise me," Lin said. "Can't you tell me?"

They all stared at the Chinese man, puzzled. _What's he going on about,_ Yasuhara wondered. _They admitted to being jealous and angry. What more could they…_ his thought process trailed off as he looked at the other three in turn and noticed something odd. And then he had it. "Want," he said quietly.

Lin nodded at him. "That's correct, Yasuhara-san."

"And we're still dealing with it, aren't we, Lin-san?" Takigawa asked.

"Indeed," the Chinese man said.

"Can we expect more negative emotions to manifest as time goes by?"

"More than likely, yes. Greed, perhaps; it would depend on the spell used. I have various acquaintances who have dealt with lust spells before and they've reported different emotions that were targeted. I, myself, can't say. Just as I've never encountered a Kodoku until recently, nor have I ever encountered a lust spell."

Naru nodded and crossed his arms. "Very well, there's nothing we can do for now, seeing as it varies from spell to spell. Matsuzaki-san," he said, turning to her, "is it possible that John is right about why the charms have failed?"

She frowned, thinking. "I would guess so," she admitted after a few seconds.

"Is there anything that can be done?"

"This is unfamiliar ground for me," she said honestly. "I've never drawn up charms to protect people from lust. Lin-san," the priestess said, turning to him, "what charm did you give Mai?"

"That was a charm to render her invisible, if you will," he answered.

"And she had one of your Shiki with her," Bou-san said, thoughtfully. "So it wouldn't help the rest of us."

"Not at all."

"Do you know of any charms that could be useful?" Naru asked. When Lin hesitated, Naru said, "This isn't the time for reticence. This is a serious problem. If you could teach Matsuzaki-san what charms you know of to protect us, it would be most helpful."

_I have the feeling that much of this is going to be dumped into my lap,_ Lin thought, frowning. "Yes, sir," he said. "Matsuzaki-san, you have blank spell-paper with you, I presume?"

She nodded.

"If you would?" Lin said.

Grabbing a blank piece of paper and her ink set, she joined him over at the computer. Mai watched Lin pick up the brush and rub it across the ink-stone several times and then lean over and draw a strange design onto the paper. Ayako watched him, a thoughtful look on her face. When Lin looked at her, she nodded her understanding, took the brush from him and turned the spell-paper over to repeat what he'd done. Lin nodded at her to show that she had correctly replicated the sigil he'd shown her.

Leaving Lin's side, she rejoined the group. "I'll need more spell-paper. So long as everyone stays in here, there shouldn't be any problems. I can guarantee that the room is still clean of the spell's influence. If anyone needs to leave, then one of the unused charms in the box _should_ be able to stave off the effects for at least a bit. I'll be back soon," the priestess said, exiting the room.

"That's one problem down. Hara-san," Naru said, turning to the doll-like medium.

"Yes, Naru?" she asked softly.

"You said that you've been sensing the presence of two ghosts, correct?"

"Yes," she replied without hesitation.

"Do you still sense them?"

Frowning, she looked around. "Yes," she said, finally. "But one's constantly on the move. All I can tell you about that one is that I sense it most strongly in one of the corridors leading to the base room. The other, it's trapped and I don't know where, precisely."

"Thank you, Hara-san. Mai," he said, turning to her.

"What?"

"How many hallways lead to this room?"

Mai put her fingertip against her bottom lip and looked at the ceiling. It was a cute gesture that he liked to see. Originally, he thought it was annoying: what use was there for such dramatics? Now, he would ask her questions just to see her do that. Tearing his eyes away from her petite form, he glanced at Bou-san and saw plain regret in the former monk's eyes. He looked over at John and found the priest staring at the floor. Poor John—this was hardest on him, Naru knew. Yasuhara was watching Mai with mild interest in her forthcoming answer and Lin wasn't paying any attention at all—although if any of them tried to do something to Mai, Naru knew the Chinese man would be there in half a second. Turning his attention back to Mai, he resisted the urge to look at his watch. _Sometime today would be nice,_ he thought waspishly.

"Four," she said finally.

_Took her long enough,_ Naru thought. _Doesn't she know her way around her own school?_ In reality, however, Naru knew that less than a minute had passed. "Take eight night cameras and set up two in each of the four corridors leading to the base room. I want to see if the ghost that Hara-san is sensing moves around at all. John," he said, turning to the young priest, "will you help Yasuhara-san with the research project I gave him?"

John looked up from the floor. "Actually, Shibuya-san, I was wondering if you'd excuse me from this case entirely."

A stunned silence fell over the occupants of the room and all eyes turned to the blond-haired young man.

"May I ask why?" Naru inquired, breaking the uncomfortable quiet that had fallen.

John clasped his hands together and met Naru's gaze. "I failed you, I failed Lin-san; I failed Mai-san. My resolve was weak and I broke my vows," he said steadily.

"John!" Mai said. "That wasn't your fault! You didn't fail me at all!"

John smiled at her weakly. "But I did. Lin-san trusted me to keep you safe and look what happened. More importantly, I broke my vows when I gave in. That act alone calls for atonement." He turned back to Naru and pinned him with his gaze. "Please Shibuya-san; I'm asking you to respect me and my faith."

_Well said,_ Lin thought.

For a scant second, it looked like Naru would refuse. However, he merely nodded. Standing up straight, he uncrossed his arms and held out one hand to the Australian priest. "Very well. Until our next case then, John. I thank you for your assistance and I apologize for what's happened. Take care."

Relieved, John gripped Naru's hand and gave it a firm shake. "I'm truly sorry. There's just no helping it. Thank you for understanding."

Naru nodded and released John's hand. The priest smiled. "Peace to you, then, and good luck. I'll keep you in my prayers." Turning from Naru, he approached Mai and bowed deeply to the teenaged-girl. "I'm truly sorry, Mai-san. I've only added to your burdens. I hope one day you'll be able to forgive me."

"John," she began weakly—what could she say to him? How could she forgive him when she didn't blame him in the first place? "John," she tried again. _Dammit! __**Say**__ something,_ she told herself angrily. When he merely bowed again to her, her throat closed up and tears ran down her cheeks; she brought her hands to her mouth to hold the sobs in.

Turning, John walked out of the room without looking back. Mai stared at the closed door sadly.

"Mai," Naru said.

She looked at him. "Tea. And then get those cameras up."

Her tears were instantly forgotten. _You jerk!_ she thought. _Have you never heard the word '__**please**__,' before? _Fuming, Mai stomped off to get the narcissistic young man his "requested" tea. Bou-san looked at him knowingly.

"Yes?" he asked with disinterest. "Did you need something?"

"Way to go, Naru-chan," the monk said, grinning at him.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Sure," he drawled.

"Bou-san, perhaps you'd be good enough to assist Yasuhara-san with his research?"

"Anything you say, Naru-chan. Good job at taking Mai's mind off of John."

………

Mai was still fuming as she and Lin-san set up the cameras in the first corridor leading to the base room. Pressing the switch to turn one on, she smiled and waved at the lens. She turned and watched Lin-san check the settings on the camera he'd set up. Satisfied with them, he walked over to the one she'd set up and began checking it. Mai watched him as he configured the camera. If she were sure that she wouldn't invade his personal space, Mai would have watched the settings so she could set them up correctly the next case. As it was, she set them up and Lin or Naru went back and configured the settings. Lin-san's movements, she noticed, were graceful and precise—economical; he didn't waste actions on pointless flailing the way she did.

_Come to think of it, he's always been that way, hasn't he? _Mai wondered, thinking back to the first time she'd met him. _Even after I injured him, his movements were still so very refined. I can't really remember a time that he didn't do something without that precision._ She gasped and felt her face flame up. She put one hand on her burning cheek. _Ju…just __**when**__ did you start noticing, Taniyama? Bad, bad! What __**are**__ you thinking?_

"Mai?" he asked.

She looked up at Lin-san, who watched her with concern, and felt her face flame even more. She smiled at him nervously. "Nothing, Lin-san. Just…"

He waited patiently.

_Well I can't tell him that I've suddenly noticed how elegant his movements are! Actually, I __**could**__, but that wouldn't go over very well._ "My stomach started complaining," she said, putting her hand on the aforementioned organ—her smile became strained; it wasn't true, but she needed some sort of cover.

"You should have woken up earlier and eaten breakfast, instead of sleeping late," Lin said pragmatically.

She glared at him. "You're not helping."

He shrugged and moved over to the other six cameras. She watched him pick up four of the remaining cameras. He turned to her. "Shall we?"

"Okay," she said. Mai didn't get very far before she heard her family name called out by a familiar voice. Pausing, she turned to the principal. "Principal?" she asked, setting down the one box she'd picked up. "Is everything all right?"

"Fine, fine," the older man replied, smiling congenially. He looked at the cameras. "Taniyama, what's this?" he asked, gesturing to the machines.

"Ah, Naru told us to set them up."

"Naru?"

"Shibuya-san," Mai said. "Ah… Hara-san has been sensing a ghost or two and she said it's been in the corridors leading to the base room. You wouldn't know anything about that would you?"

"What? A ghost, here? Hmmm…I've never heard anything. I honestly thought that nonsense was over when the other classroom building fell, but I'll look into it, if you'd like."

"Oh, yes please!" she replied smiling brightly. "That would be a big help!"

"Not at all, not at all. Now tell me, Taniyama-chan," the old man began sidling closer to his student. "Have you given any thoughts to dating my grandson? I know he's a bit younger than you, but really, the children the two of you would have would be just darling. And I'd so love to have great-grandchildren to spoil. You'd make a wonderful mother!" the old man gushed.

"Principal-san." Lin's baritone cut through Mai's shock.

"Hmm? Yes?" he asked, turning his attention to the Chinese man.

"May I see your charm?" he asked, crossing over to the man and holding out his hand.

"Why certainly," he said, removing it from his suit pocket and handing it to the stoic man standing before him.

Lin brought it up to eye-level and frowned. It didn't look too badly degraded. All the same… He looked over at Mai and found her watching him. Sending a quick wink in her direction, he blew on the spell-paper and watched the degradation disappear. At least… that's what the principal saw. What Mai saw, however, was different. Her face heated a bit at the wink, but as she watched Lin-san exhale on the paper, she saw a purple tongue dart out and wipe it clean.

_One of his Shiki,_ she told herself. She wondered what they could do individually.

He handed the charm back to the now-amazed principal. "I would appreciate it if you don't tell too many people about that. I can't do it very often; it's bad for me."

"You have my word," the awed man said, taking the charm and slipping it back into his pocket. "I'll get started looking into another ghost. Hmm… I may have heard something back in the mid '90's," he muttered to himself.

"Please bring whatever you find to the base room," Lin told him. "I would stop by the base in about an hour and pick up a new charm were I you; that one will degrade quite fast."

The principal nodded.

"Thank you for your cooperation. Taniyama-san," he called, striding away.

Mai bowed to the principal, picked up the other two cameras, and scurried after Lin.

"How old is his grandson?" Lin asked abruptly.

"Huh?" Mai asked, as they came to the next corridor. "How old... oh, twelve," she said, setting down the camera and beginning to take it out of its case.

_Absurd!_ Lin thought. _That old man should be ashamed of himself! Poor girl,_ he thought, starting to set up one of the cameras.

When she was finished, Mai looked over at Lin and voiced what she was thinking. "I never pegged you as the type to deceive," she said, watching him configure the camera he'd just finished setting up.

"Oh? Why do you say that?"

"One of your Shiki took the degradation off the spell paper, not you."

"That's certainly true. But the principal can't see that. You did," he said, glancing at her. "The difference is that little by little, your power is growing and you're able to see more and more. The principal, on the other hand, can't see my Shiki and there are things that ordinary people certainly don't want to know. And someone having demons bound to them is one such example."

Mai wrinkled her nose. "I thought they were cool," she said, remembering how they'd saved her from Urado.

"And I thank you for that. You're hardly normal, though—you've said so yourself. Working with us has desensitized you; learning that I have demons tied to me doesn't surprise you. Would your friends think the same as you?"

"Probably not."

Straightening, he went to the other camera. "There you have it," he said simply. He beckoned to her. She approached his side warily. "Watch," he said, showing her what he'd put the settings at.

………

_Last hallway,_ she thought. _Finally!_ Her shoulders were starting to ache from all that lugging. She set to work quickly setting up the camera. That was a cakewalk for her; it was configuring it the way Lin had shown her that was a bit more complicated. The settings it had to be on for what Naru wanted—mainly for the camera to record in all directions—were a bit more involved, and while Lin-san had waited patiently for her, she still felt embarrassed that she wasn't faster at it. She'd just hit the 'function' button on the camera's control panel when she heard a familiar voice calling her name. Pausing what she was doing, Mai looked up to see Keiko coming towards her.

"Mai-chan, Mai-chan!" she called, waving frantically.

"Eh? Keiko? What's wrong?" she asked waiting for her friend to reach her.

"Your homework, dummy," Keiko said, thrusting it at her.

"Oh. Thanks, Keiko," Mai said, smiling at her friend.

Keiko looked at the camera. "What're you doing, Mai-chan?"

"Naru wants to see if we have a ghost in the school," she responded brightly. "Heard any stories? I know your brother went here, too."

Keiko rolled her eyes at Mai. "His interest was Kendo and necking with his girlfriend, not ghost stories."

"Oh."

"Speaking of necking…"

"Eh?"

Keiko lowered her voice and brought her mouth close to Mai's ear. "Where on _earth_ has he been hiding?" she asked, looking at Lin. "To think, you've found the sexiest man on the planet, Mai-chan!"

Unfortunately, Lin heard that. He glanced over at the two of them and then turned back to the camera he was working on. For her part, Mai didn't think her face could get any redder. "Keiko!" she hissed, glaring at her friend. _Soon to be ex-friend,_ she thought, absolutely mortified.

"What? Aren't you going to introduce me?" she asked grinning.

With a long-suffering sigh and quick prayer to the gods that Lin-san didn't snap at her, Mai escorted her friend to where he was. Lin straightened when he saw her approaching and she smiled at him apologetically. "Lin-san, this is my friend, Keiko. Keiko," she said gesturing towards Lin, "This is Lin-san, Naru's assistant."

"I thought _you_ were Shibuya-san's assistant," Keiko said, giving her a puzzled look.

"No, I'm his tea-maker. Naru just calls me his assistant because he's a workaholic and can't remember anything but work and tea."

Unseen by either of them, Lin smirked at that. _That's not far off the mark,_ he thought.

Keiko blinked. "Oh." She turned to Lin. "Nice to meet you," she said, bowing.

"And you, Keiko-san," Lin replied, giving a short bow in return.

"Thanks for dropping off my homework, Keiko. I'll catch up with you later, okay?"

"Sure," Keiko said. She bowed again to Lin. "Bye!" With that, she winked at Mai and waggled her eyebrows suggestively before taking off.

Mai groaned. "Lin-san," she said, looking up at him, "I'm so very sorry."

"It happens," he said diplomatically. "This is high school, after all, and I've heard worse, believe you me."

"But—"

"The sooner we finish with the cameras, the sooner you can get started on your homework," he said.

She looked at it dejectedly and sighed.

"I'll help you," he told her.

"Really?" she asked, looking up at him with hope.

"Yes. Now, back to work. You wouldn't want Naru to find out that you were slacking off, would you? Think of all the filing you'd have to do."

Thoughts of all the alphabetical filing, filing by year, and the paper cuts she'd undoubtedly get while doing so had her sprinting frantically back to her camera.

………

The school was miles behind him. Mai was miles behind at the school, probably setting up cameras or fetching Shibuya-san some tea. With no clear path in mind, John found himself pulling into the parking lot of Toujo-san's church. Perhaps the older priest could help? Killing the motor of the car, John vacated the driver's seat and walked up the path to the steps leading to the church. Father Toujo must have been inside—he didn't hear the laughter or shrieks of children outside. Inside it was, then. He felt nervous and his steps faltered; the urge to run was almost too strong to resist. Taking a deep breath and looking towards the heavens, he prayed for strength, and climbed the steps up to the church proper.

Pulling open the door, he stepped inside the house of worship and looked around the dim sanctuary. Silently, he moved to sit in one of the pews at the very back and clasped his hands together. He looked up at the large, stained-glass window depicting Christ and said quietly, "What do I do? Just what can I do? I've failed."

"Brown-kun?"

John turned to face Father Toujo. The old priest looked down at him. "What brings you here, Brown-kun?" the older priest asked kindly.

"Ah…" What to say? What to do? The urge to simply blurt everything out was almost overwhelming. John's eyes fell on the Confessional Box and he realized what he could do. He turned back to the older priest. "Do you have time for a confession, Toujo-san?"

"For whom?" the priest queried. "Is someone with you?" he asked, looking around, but seeing no one else in the sanctuary.

"No, it's just me, I'm afraid," John said, smiling slightly.

The older priest looked at John with gentle scrutiny. "I'll meet you there," he said, turning and walking towards his office.

Taking a few minutes, John closed his eyes and allowed himself to calm down. He intoned a silent prayer of thanks and made his way over to the confessional box, slipped inside, and sat down. A few seconds later, the other side opened and Father Toujo joined him, sitting parallel to him and training his eyes on the wall. John took a deep breath and crossed himself.

"Bless me father for I have sinned. It's been…" Here he faltered. How long _had_ it been since he'd been to confession? Three months, at least, he recalled. "It's been three months since my last confession."

"Continue," Father Toujo said, remotely.

"I have failed myself and the Church by giving in to the lust spell and kissing Taniyama Mai-san. I have failed Shibuya-san by succumbing to the spell and Lin-san when he trusted me to accompany Mai-san to the SPR van to look for some documents. I allowed jealousy, anger, and want to cloud my judgment and weaken my will."

"What is this spell you deal with?"

Taking a deep breath, John recounted the case thus far. "A spell was cast to punish Mai-san for reasons unknown yet. It is a spell to invoke the negative feelings of lust; we do not know who cast it; nor do we know their reasons for doing so. Currently, Mai-san has had three kisses taken from her, the first starting with her boss, Shibuya Kazuya-san and the third ending with me."

"What were you feeling just before you kissed her?"

"I was upset that I couldn't do the same, that my vow of celibacy prohibited me from kissing an attractive woman. I…" Here, John hesitated. Steeling himself, he continued. "My mind was cyclical on the subject of Mai-san having two kisses stolen from her. I couldn't stop thinking about it; nor could I stop thinking about how _I_ wanted to kiss her, too. My will should have been stronger to resist the spell, but it was not. Those are my sins," John finished and waited.

"What did you tell Shibuya-san when he asked you for an account?"

"That I failed him and Mai-san. I asked to be excused from the case."

"Is that the extent of your sins, my son?"

"Yes."

"I see. You are twenty years old, my son. And you're dealing with what seems to be quite an insidious spell. Add hormones into the mix and it could only have been a matter of time before you did give in. What you should focus on is helping to make things right. What does being excused from the case give you, but more guilt?"

"If I go back, it could happen again!"

"Calm yourself, my son. What you've said is true. That is something you will have to face. It is your penance to go back, however, and see this through to the end. After all, you have a contract with Shibuya-san. Every time he calls you for help, you've created an agreement between you two when you say 'yes.' Backing out now does not add credit to you—in both the eyes of the Church and the eyes of the Lord. Finish the case, my son. Make peace between you and Shibuya-san. Set young Taniyama-san's conscience at ease and let her forgive you. This is how you will make up for your sins."

John bowed his head. "I will complete my penance then." Quickly, he recited the Act of Contrition and waited for Toujo-san to say the one phrase that would let him go.

"I absolve you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Go, and sin no more."

Bowing his head and crossing himself one last time, John left the Confession Box. Father Toujo joined him a few seconds later.

"My door is always open, Brown-kun," he said, putting a friendly hand on John's shoulder.

"Thank you, Toujo-san." With that, John left the church and returned to his apartment.

**Friday, day seven**

The next morning found John's stomach full of butterflies. He'd decided last night that he would simply show up instead of contacting Shibuya-san and letting him know. Approaching his dresser he opened a very long rectangular box and drew out the one thing that sat inside it with reverence. Holding it up to eye level, John remembered the bishop that had presented the rosary to him when he'd been appointed an exorcist at the young age of eighteen. He remembered the bishop handing it to him and telling him that the Pope had blessed it. If anything could help him with this case, it was this. Slipping it over his head, he felt a peace fall over him. _Yes,_ he decided, _this will be able to help me._ He took one last look in the mirror and smiled before heading out the door.

Mai had just stepped through the doors of the base room when she stopped suddenly and stared. Lin came to a halt behind her and frowned. Gently, he steered her into the room and caught sight of what had brought her to a stand-still. John stood in the room sandwiched between Naru and Bou-san. Seeing Mai, he stepped away from the other two and approached her.

"Good morning, Mai-san," he said.

"John!" she said giving him a tentative smile. "What are you doing here? I thought you'd asked to be dismissed from the rest of the case."

John smiled at her. "I did. But it's my penance to see the case to the end and do what I can to help. I still hope that you'll forgive me, one day."

"Of course I do! You came back, after all."

John gave her a radiant smile. "Thank you, Mai-san. I'll be sure to keep a better eye on the charm and my surroundings."

"Welcome back, Brown-san," Lin said.

"Thank you, Lin-san. It's good to be back."

"John," Mai said, "why are you wearing your rosary? Are you going to perform an exorcism?"

"No. I'm wearing it to help me with the spell." At her confused look, he said, "This was presented to me by the Bishop who appointed me as an exorcist; it was blessed by the Pope himself. There's nothing better that I can think of to help me along with the charm."

"Then it will," she told him positively.

"I agree. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to pick up where Yasuhara-san left off."

"Okay," Mai said, depositing her stuff on the table and turning to Lin. She grimaced. "I guess I need to go get my assignments now."

"You make it sound like it's such a horrible thing," he said, setting his own stuff down and hanging his coat.

"Flowers, chocolates, and boys trying to shove their tongues down my throat, here I come."

_Sadly,_ Lin thought, _she's not being facetious._ Saying nothing, he followed the petite girl out of the room.

John turned to Naru and Bou-san for an explanation. He knew Lin had been sitting in her classes with her… what was this about getting her assignments?

"It got worse," Takigawa said with apparent frustration. "When Mai went to her last class, they kicked her out for good because a fight between just about all the boys in the class broke out the minute she stepped foot inside the classroom. The teacher had no choice but to kick her out. Now she has to get her assignments before the class assembles."

John blanched.

"It wasn't entirely your fault," Naru told him.

"Thank you for that, Shibuya-san," the priest said, giving him a slight smile.

"Say, Naru-chan, Lin-san's mentioned a counter-spell; what does it entail?" the former monk asked.

"It's a spell that's out of the question!" Naru snapped.

"Whoa, whoa," Bou-san said, waving his hands to show his innocence. "You don't need to take my head off! It was just a question."

"You two have a project to do."

"Yes, oh mighty one," the bassist said, bowing theatrically to Naru. "May I have my head back, oh mighty one?" he asked sarcastically.

"No," Naru said, with a chilling smile. "I think I'll keep it just a little while longer."

"You little—"

"Now, now," John said, holding the former monk back.

………

Mai dreamed. The darkness and inverted building surrounded her, letting her know that it was one of _those_ dreams, the kind of dream where the kinder version of Naru would appear and help her; she waited for him to appear eagerly. If the sequence he wanted to show her was anything like the last one, she wanted to get it over with as quickly as possible.

"You seem antsy."

Mai turned to him. "Not at all," she said archly.

The look he gave conveyed how much he believed her. "Well, then…shall we?" he asked, holding out his hand and offering her a smile.

Steeling herself, she placed her hand in his and allowed him to escort her—back to another party. _Now where am I,_ Mai wondered. She was back at another masquerade. _My husband likes these parties. I'm starting to get bored with them. _She spied the pale girl who he was supposed to marry. _And just how did you sneak in?_ She started to make her way over to her when a hand grasped her elbow gently. Annoyed at the interruption, she turned and found herself looking into a stranger's eyes. "Yes, my lord?" she asked politely. _Lin-san?_ Mai wondered, feeling her face flame. She was glad this was only a dream. _But what is his role in all of this?_

"Your spell is growing weak, my lady," the stranger said, bowing to her. "Will you honor me with a dance?" he asked, when she gasped.

Mai wasn't sure how the two in her dream (the dream she was experiencing—she was going to kill Naru for this) ended up as lovers. The transition from the party to the bedroom/bed had been confusing and fast. If there had been any progression relationship-wise, she certainly wasn't privy to it.

"Will you help me make it stronger?" she heard herself ask.

He propped his chin on one hand. "That depends."

"On what?" she asked sharply.

"You have what you wanted, don't you?" he asked. "You've taken the prince from the princess and you're in her place. Why does she need to be punished?"

"Because even now she tries! If you won't help me, then I will strengthen it without you."

"He's besotted with you. I don't think that she's going to gain any ground." He leaned down and kissed her hard. "Remember this my lady: in magic, as in life, what goes around comes around," he told her, trailing his mouth down her body.

She was the spectator now; Mai found herself relieved. Her feelings of Lin-san being her lover in these dreams were ambivalent. Surely wondering a few times hadn't produced this—had it? The man whom Lin-san was impersonating in her dreams was now sitting relaxed in a plush red chair. He smiled arrogantly at the woman standing in front of him. _Masako?_ Mai wondered. It was odd seeing the young medium in something other than a kimono or yukata. But she couldn't exactly place the time period of the dress she wore.

"What brings you to me, then, my lady?" he asked and Mai snapped to attention.

"There is a spell on me, is there not?" she asked.

"Yes, there is," he confirmed. "A curse, to be more precise."

_So this has happened before?_

"I've had five kisses stolen now and from my own guards and personal retainer, no less."

"Two more, then," he murmured.

"That's what I thought. That woman who stole my husband-to-be from me thinks I can do naught but sit and titter with other women."

"Is she wrong?" he asked.

She matched his smile. "I'm not as fragile or delicate as I look. I've been doing my own research. There is a solution."

"You have no magic, my lady," he told her. "No power whatsoever to counter a spell of this magnitude."

"That's true, I don't. But you do. You have power aplenty. Enough to break her spell."

"And you know this how?" he asked.

"You're famous, you know. Or infamous, I should say." She studied him for a few seconds. "May I be frank, instead of this verbal parley?" she asked.

"But of course. May I also offer you something to drink? A chair?"

_**Now**__ he asks?_ Mai thought annoyed. _How rude. Those shoes __**can't**__ be comfortable._

"Thank you, but no."

_Moron,_ Mai thought, _take the offer for the stupid chair, at least._

"I've come to offer you something in return for you getting rid of the curse that she wrought."

The man looked surprised.

_Eh?_

"What could you possibly have that would give me enough motivation and power to break this curse?" he asked.

_Yes, what?_

"There is power in virginity, is there not?" At his absolute shock, she smiled. "I told you that I had done my own research, did I not? _Your_ people especially used to place a very big emphasis on virginity and the power that lay with it and the taking of it, did they not? Would that not give you enough? My body has never known a man. I am willing to trade that in exchange for you breaking the curse."

He sucked in a sharp breath. "I think you need to leave," he said. "Leave and think about this. You have no idea what you're offering."

At that, she grew angry. "Don't I?" she challenged. "What is maidenhood, except the difference between a woman and a girl?"

"It's your most precious possession," he said softly.

"No, my lord—you're quite mistaken. My _life_ is my most precious possession. Not my virginity."

"And what will you do, once you've lost your maidenhood?" he asked carefully.

"I've corresponded with my mother and father. They are not happy with it, but they also agree that this is the best solution. I have another suitor in England who also proposed to me during my first season. He is willing to marry me, virgin or not; I fancy he believes that my former groom has already stripped me of my maidenhood. So long as I am alive, my lord, I can bear him sons and daughters. I am more than willing to give that aspect of me to you, so that I can live. If I am raped, I could die. If I die, I cannot have children."

He let out a soft sigh and stood, holding out his hand to her. "Come then. I promise I'll be gentle."

"Yes, you'd better be," she said, allowing him to lead her to the bed.

She was back at her school, watching yet another black phantasm sail straight to the center of the red cloud. Before she woke up, she felt a gentle pressure on her forehead. Sunlight flooded her vision.

………

"Mai! Mai! Mai!" A hand shook her shoulder roughly, causing her to wake up. Moaning at the light, she closed her eyes and buried her head in her arms. A gentle hand swept past her bangs and settled on her forehead for a few seconds.

"She doesn't have a fever," she heard Lin say. "It must have been a very bad dream," he told whomever had asked. "Matsuzaki-san, please close the blinds."

When she could no longer see the sunlight, she opened her eye and peered around hesitantly at the concerned faces of the SPR members.

"You were making noises," Bou-san said, peering at her face. "And you look a bit red. Was it a nightmare... or were you dreaming of something else?" he asked, flashing a cheeky smile at her.

Mai felt her face flush several different shades of red. "Bou-san!" she cried in embarrassment.

"What did you see?" Naru asked, sitting down next to her. "Can you remember anything at all?"

She turned to him. "The spells been cast before," she said, yawning. "That's all I really recall, except the cloud turning darker."

Resisting the urge to heave a frustrated sigh, Naru nodded. "Go home, Mai. See if you can't remember anything more. Unfortunately, we're going to have to start relying on your dreams quite heavily, so please do your best."

Nodding, she stood and took her backpack from Yasuhara. Smiling at her, he said, "I'll accompany you and help you with your homework; Lin-san said he'd be very busy with correspondents so I'll tutor you instead. I have one of the newer charms and Lin-san will be there, so there shouldn't be any problems."

Mai nodded and followed Yasuhara out of the room.

Lin kept the radio low, keeping half an ear out for the news when it came on. Naru wanted to know what the media was saying about what was happening at Mai's high school. If it turned into a media frenzy like Yasuhara's school had, then SPR would need to do some damage control. Mai and Yasuhara were chatting about various subjects: school, home, work—the usual conversation topics for kids their age. Lin ignored them. When a familiar song began to play, Yasuhara suddenly stopped talking and leaned over, turning it up, earning him a frosty glance from the Chinese man.

"That was not a good idea, Yasuhara-san. Please don't do it again."

Looking abashed, Yasuhara smiled. "I'm sorry, Lin-san, but this song sounds familiar. I know I've heard it before."

"You have? What is it?" Mai asked, listening to the unfamiliar lyrics. English—not her best language or subject, but not her worst, either.

"It's from a movie," Lin told her, absentmindedly; he had no trouble with the lyrics.

"Really? Which one?" she asked.

"_Dirty Dancing_, if memory serves me right. From the '80's. It still holds a niche with popularity even now," Yasuhara told Mai. "Have you seen the movie, Lin-san?"

"Many years ago. I don't remember it very well."

_"I need you to __**see**__, this love was meant to be!"_

"I think this song played when the two main characters made love for the first time," Yasuhara told Mai, when the instrumental took over with a piercing note from the trumpet.

Lin choked. "No, it didn't," he finally managed. "It took place early on when the main female character was learning how to dance."

"So you _do_ remember it!" Yasuhara crowed.

It was then that Lin realized he'd been had. Meeting Yasuhara's eyes in the rearview mirror and holding out one long-fingered hand, he said, "Yasuhara-san, show me your charm."

Smiling, the bespectacled boy drew the charm out of his pocket and pressed it into the Chinese man's waiting palm. Bringing it to eye-level, he glanced at it very quickly and then grudgingly handed it back.

"It's okay, isn't it, Lin-san?" the bespectacled boy asked, smiling widely.

"Yes," he said shortly. Reaching out, he turned the radio down. "It's been a good ten years since I've seen that movie, Yasuhara-san. If you're curious as to where all the songs are in the film, you might consider either renting or buying the movie."

"I'll take that under advisement," the boy said, still grinning.

"I'm not doing this right, am I?" Lin heard while he was at the table in her breakfast nook looking through an esoteric collection online. Yasuhara and Mai were in her living room at the coffee table. Lin looked up and gave a fleeting smile at how cozy they looked. Oh, and the frustrated look on Mai's face was a source of amusement, too.

Yasuhara looked at her work and then the problem. "Yes, you are… actually, no, you're not," he said, when he got a better look at the problem. "You need the quadratic equation for this problem."

Mai frowned. "That's this one, right?" she asked. Lin heard the scratching of a pencil.

"Yep."

"Okay…"

"You have to substitute for the symbols. Here," Yasuhara said, taking the pencil from her and showing her. Mai scooted closer to watch as he worked out the problem that she was having a difficult time with. _He makes it look so easy,_ she groused.

"And that's all there is to it," he said, looking down at her and noticing for the first time how close she was. "Did you understand, Taniyama-san?"

Mai tilted her head to the side. "I think so," she said, reaching over and reclaiming her pencil. Yasuhara's throat went dry when her fingers made contact with his hand. They lyrics from the movie's song, 'Hungry Eyes,' he reminded himself absently—started to roll through his mind. _Odd,_ he thought. _Why am I thinking about that song?_

"I think I did it," she said, hesitantly.

He peered at her workbook. "You did," he said, smiling at her. "Very good."

She smiled at him, but it was strained, he noticed. This was taking a very big toll on her.

_"I need you to see, this love was meant to be!"_ The last lines before the chorus soared through Yasuhara's mind, making him wince. He looked over at Mai again. She really was cute; he'd noticed that when he first stepped into the office of SPR to deliver the petition signed by the students. She'd been a valuable asset to them—not only at his school, but during their case in Suwa, as well. From the time he'd spent as her so-called apprentice and on the case in Suwa, he'd come to regard her with true affection. He looked forward to seeing her, to being greeted by her smile, to hearing her _voice_. Yasuhara would willingly abandon his pacifist ways if she were in danger from normal foes.

_I'm attracted to her,_ he thought. _Badly. This spell… no, curse,_ he reminded himself,_ is only going to complicate matters. All the same… I can't help myself or stop myself from trying!_ He smiled sardonically. "Taniyama-san…" he began.

She looked at him. "Am I not doing this problem right? I'm doing it wrong, aren't I?" she asked. "Why? Why am I so bad at math?" Mai snarled, tossing her pencil down and pouting.

Yasuhara found himself chuckling at her antics. "I wasn't even thinking that," he told her, smiling at her.

She tilted her head to the side. _What perfect timing,_ he thought. Snaking his arms around her, he closed the distance between them and kissed her. He broke away a few seconds later and looked into her shocked eyes. "You should stop pretending all the time," he said. "This is affecting you—badly. You've shed so many tears over what's been happening, I know you have, and it's not your fault, Mai. I don't like it when you cry." He smiled. "I wish your heart didn't belong to someone else. I'd love to be the one to watch over you," he finished, kissing her again and tumbling them both to the ground.

He felt a hand on his shoulder literally a second later. "Yasuhara-san."

_Lin-san,_ he thought, with a jolt. _Oh, no!_ He looked down at Mai's dazed expression. _What have I done?_

Gently, but with a strength that couldn't be ignored, Lin pulled Yasuhara away from Mai and assisted the college freshman to his feet. Keeping one hand on the young man's shoulder should he try again, he offered his other hand to Mai. She grabbed it and he hauled her to her feet; he could feel the fine tremors wracking her body as she held onto him for support. Removing his hand from Yasuhara's shoulder, he held it out to him. "Your charm, please," he commanded quietly.

Quickly, Yasuhara produced it from his pocket. Black, Lin noted with a frown. _Dammit, this one should have lasted longer! Why didn't it? Did Matsuzaki-san make a mistake when she made the new ones? No, she didn't. I went through them to make certain they were correct. So why?_ His eyes narrowed. _Because the base room is still clean and free of the spell and it's influence—that's the only thing I can think of._

Sighing, he looked again at the piece of paper and flicked his wrist sharply, watching it burst into flame. Letting go, he watched it float to the ground, only to have one Shiki gobble it up. He looked at Yasuhara who stared at that space where the paper had drifted with amazement. "What do you feel like doing this very moment?" he asked.

"Honestly?"

Lin nodded.

Yasuhara smiled sadly but with a hint of cynicism. "I feel like crying," he said, looking miserable.

"Good. You're fine for now. Skip class and be at the base tomorrow morning. This needs to be recounted. If your professor says anything, tell him or her to get in contact with Shibuya Psychic Research. Good day to you, Yasuhara-san."

Nodding at the abrupt dismissal, the college freshman gathered his things, bowed to Mai, and left without looking back.

Lin turned to Mai, who clutched at him like a lifeline; her tremors had increased and tears trailed down her cheeks. It hit Lin right then that he really was doing a horrible job of protecting her. Before he could apologize for this error, she said, "Lin-san, help me."

He blinked. "How?" he asked, curious.

She let go of him and scrubbed her tears away fiercely. Resolutely, she marched into her kitchen and pulled out two heavy-duty garbage bags from under the sink. Shaking one open she held it out to him. Bemused, he walked over to her and took the bag wondering just what she was going to do. She started to empty the vases of their contents—fresh or dying, she didn't care.

"I'm getting rid of these—it's high time I did," she told him placing the vases on the counter. "As for the chocolates, I want to donate them to the church where we had to find Kenji-kun; I think the children will enjoy them and there's plenty for all of them. Will you help me with that?" she asked.

The children—orphans, just like her. _She's not exactly giving me a choice,_ he thought. "Yes," he said simply. "I will."

It took an hour and a half to empty the vases of their contents. He suggested double-bagging the bulging bag so that it didn't burst when they took it downstairs. For some reason, her independence surprised him—it shouldn't have, he knew; she was an orphan and had no choice, but he still found himself amazed. To his amusement, he got into a slight argument with her about one of the gifts of chocolates she'd received.

"Keep that one," he told her, tapping the package. "They're not so easy to come by and they're very tasty."

"I don't want it," she told him irritably, trying to put it back in the box.

He took it out again. "These are from China—and this company doesn't ship to Japan: only to Europe and America." He placed them back on her counter. "Keep them for me, then; I'll eat them."

"Be my guest," she said, scooping up that last of the chocolates and stuffing them in the cardboard box. She looked around her tiny apartment critically. "That's the last of it," she told him. "Shall we?"

Father Toujo was delighted to see Mai and Lin again, especially since Mai wasn't possessed by the ghost of a former orphan. He was equally happy for Mai's donation of sweets for the children. Currently, the high school sophomore was indulging the children with a game of hide-and-go-seek, while Lin and Father Toujo sat on the bench keeping watch.

"It's not all the way out here, is it?" the priest asked.

Lin turned to him. "It's not."

"That's good, then; she can relax here."

"Brown-san told you."

"He came here after he'd kissed poor Mai-chan. Was she very upset?" he asked.

"She was more upset that he blamed himself. And she was very distraught that he'd asked her to forgive him one day. But he returned, mentioning that finishing the case was his penance—as you well know," Lin said, leaving it at that. He knew that Father Toujo was not allowed to talk to him about whatever he'd discussed with John. If the exorcist wanted to talk, he could do so, but the priest who'd heard the confession and offered advice could not.

"Did she forgive him?"

"She never blamed him in the first place."

"That boy," Father Toujo said, shaking his head. "Is there nothing that can be done?"

"This is a lust curse. Unfortunately, there are many variations of this particular spell. If I knew exactly which one had been used, I could return it or break it."

"But you don't and it's grown stronger with every stolen kiss."

Lin nodded.

"Is there no temporary solution that will give you time?"

"There is," Lin told him.

"But?"

"It's not an option, according to Naru."

"I see." The old priest fell silent and looked over at Mai burying her face in her arms and beginning to count. Squealing and laughing and shushing each other, the children scrambled off to hide from the older girl in an attempt to fool her. "May I offer you some advice?"

Surprised, Lin nodded.

"There are times when one must make a decision that countermands what those in charge say, for the greater good. But only if that person is certain should that decision be made and acted upon."

"Interesting words; I'll think about them."

_Think about them,_ Lin thought as he drove back to Mai's apartment. He looked over at the girl who dozed in the passenger seat. _There's nothing to think about. It has to be done—we __**need**__ that time. Four kisses already. How many more until it completes itself? If we have the extra time, we may be able to piece everything together before anything worse happens. I seem to have made my decision,_ Lin thought, with a cynical smirk.

**A/N:** If anyone is curious: a Mulga is also known as a King Brown Snake. Diamond-back rattlers are native to North America it seems, not Australia.


	8. Interlude: A CounterCurse

**Chapter eight: To counter**

Warning! This chapter isn't heavy LinxMai; _it is LinxMai—limey LinxMai._ Just thought I'd warn you all like I promised.

As always, thanks to **TitianWren** for not only beta-reading this, but putting up with it. This is as close to a lemon as I will **ever** write. Not a word, Jenx.

This chapter is dedicated to **Jenx**, for her birthday. Happy (bleated) birthday, darling!

And finally, one last thing: another fabulous quote! "Poor Naru, out in the cold. Eh, give him a mirror and he'll get over it." –**TitanWren**.H

Yes, my wonderful beta-reader, has given me permission to quote that. If you all haven't figured it out yet, I am LinxMai fan. I have nothing against NaruxMai—I'm even working on a NaruxMai one-shot for a challenge on LiveJournal. You guys have already seen Artemis Bloodshadow's response to it with her latest chapter of _Lessons_. Have fun in Japan, Artemis-san! Like I said, I have nothing against that pairing, but I don't know what's so great or fascinating about it.

I have a request. For all of you who have this story on your favorites list, I thank you. For those who have it on your alert list, I also thank you. Now, if y'all could drop me a review with cookies and cakes, this authoress would be most happy. XD

As always, thanks to all of my readers on Fanfiction Network and LiveJournal.

Onwards!

…

Despite his decision being made, Lin had no idea how he was going to broach the subject of the counter-spell with Mai; it was one of those subjects that was almost borderline taboo, but was, in actuality a necessity. Mai sat on the couch behind him in their base room, silently working on the assignments that she'd collected from her teachers earlier. Lin glanced at her reflection in the computer screen. It always seemed to be her; no matter what case they were working on, it was like she attracted danger.

At least Mai didn't have to worry about the female population; thankfully, this curse didn't seem to target everyone—if anything, it seemed to pinpoint only those closest to her. He heard a page turn and the scratching of her pencil soon followed. The night that they'd left Mai's apartment—Lin told Naru about a temporary solution that might just shatter the spell long enough for them to find the caster; he'd encouraged him to tell Mai about it so that she knew about what could be their only option. If they were correct, that it was a spirit possessing a student, then dispelling the spell by means of a counter-charm would give them at least a day or two to find the caster. With the amount of energy it took to repair a spell, or recast it from scratch (the method he knew of would mean no less), the student possessed would not come to school the following day or two; they simply wouldn't have the energy to move at all. That absent person would be the one the spirit inhabited. At least, that was the theory. They'd have to take into account the kids who skipped regularly or were ill, but the search was still lessened dramatically.

Naru had adamantly vetoed telling Mai about the temporary solution. _Oh, to see his flustered face again! _Lin thought, his lips quirking upwards in a quick grin. His grin faded. He was still no closer on how to tell Mai… tell? _Convince,_ he told himself. He really had no idea how to do that. This wasn't like the case in Suwa where it was imperative for all of them to leave Urado's lair before they became his victims.

Two sets of footsteps coming down the hall reached their ears—voices soon followed. Lin paused his typing; neither set of voices belonged to anyone of SPR—they couldn't be back yet, anyhow, and the footsteps were too heavy to be female. The conversation soon reached their ears. From the sound of it, Mai was the topic of their chat. It seemed that they'd come to the base room specifically to find her. "You're sure she's in this room, Daichi?"

"Oh, yeah, Hiko—she's here all right. All I had to do was ask the teacher where I could get another charm and he told me where the priestess that made them was located. Stupid charms, I stopped carrying mine. But it was easy as pie to find where she was, since they won't let Taniyama back into the classroom until this is solved."

"She's probably not alone, though. I'll bet that tall dude is with her."

"Hey, we just want to talk to her, that's all. You're not scared of him, are you?" came the mocking tone that belonged to Daichi.

"Of course not!" Hiko said. Both of them were right in front of the door by now. "He's not that scary!"

_I'm not?_ Lin thought. _I don't think the other young men in the school will agree with you. According to them, I'm downright terrifying._

"Taniyama?" they heard Daichi call. Lin assumed that he was the one trying the doorknob as well. "Taniyama!" the young man called sharply. "We know you're in there, open the door and let us in! It's urgent we talk to you! Please?" his tone had taken a wheedling, whining tone; one that Lin particularly detested. "We need two more charms." When there was no response, the young man's voice became angrier. "Taniyama!" he barked.

Mai's pencil clattered to the floor and a sound of panic escaped her throat.

_Enough of this,_ Lin decided. Grabbing two charms, he strode over to the door, unlocked it, and jerked it open just enough for him to peer out. Silently, he handed the charms to the two upper classmen and stood between them and the room, barring them entry. He looked at them coolly, daring them to just try and get past him. "Taniyama-san is busy," he told them tersely, when he'd had enough of their gawking. "And so am I," he finished, favoring them both with a frigid look. "You have what you came for. Good day."

That said, he shut the door in their faces and bolted it. When one of them tried the door again, he said, "I'm still standing here, you know."

The hand fell away and they heard Hiko say, "Ah, we'll catch you later then, Taniyama."

Lin waited until he heard the footsteps fall away before he turned back to Mai. She stared at the door, looking for all the world like a frightened doe. Her eyes were wide and almost dilated—her irises had darkened and instead of whiskey-brown, they were brackish and her skin had lost all its color. He approached the couch, pausing only to bend down and scoop up her pencil. He pushed aside her books and papers and gently lowered himself to the table.

"Mai," he said quietly. "They're gone. Mai?"

There was no answer. All he could do was wait for her to regain her composure. He looked at the _Hello Kitty_ bobble figurine on top of her pencil. _This fits her,_ he thought amused, as he idly flipped the pencil up and down, watching the tiny doll dance and shake.

Mai woodenly watched Lin toy with her pencil. She'd vaguely heard him when he said that the two boys were gone; his words, however, didn't register. _I hate this! _she thought. _I really hate this. I feel useless and helpless and I just know Naru's disappointed in me. What right does he have to be upset? It's not my fault my intuition's not working right now!_ Tears started to run down her cheeks._ It's not my fault that I can't remember my dreams—that my memory's being suppressed. He's so annoying and smug! Oh, I'd love to show him up, just once! Uh… Lin-san was trying to get my attention, wasn't he?_

Her cheeks turned ten shades of red and she turned to the Chinese man with an embarrassed smile. "Ah…I'm sorry, Lin-san. I don't think I heard what you said."

"Are you all right?" he asked.

She gave him a tired smile. "I think so."

"You're certain? If not, take your time."

"I'm okay."

"Good," he said, putting the pencil down and watching her silently. This seemed to be as good an opportunity as ever.

"I'm surprised Naru hasn't fired me yet," she said, before he could say anything. "I haven't exactly been helpful, you know."

Lin looked at her sharply.

She continued with a far-off look in her eyes. "My intuition hasn't been cooperating at all and whatever I dream, I seem to forget, except bits and pieces, and the cloud over the school that keeps changing colors. Every day I come into this room, I expect him to tell me I'm fired, rather than bark at me to make tea."

"Why would he sack you? You're the client this time," he told her, cursing the British idiom that had just crept into his speech.

His words hit her like a brick. "That's right! I am, aren't I?" she asked, sheepishly.

"You forgot?" Lin didn't understand how someone could forget the fact that they were a client. Most clients didn't let SPR forget their existence—they were all over them to hurry up and solve the case: Mai's principal during the first case that brought her into their lives, for example.

"Ah, well… you see…" she began.

Lin waited patiently.

Folding her hands, Mai continued. "To me, this is just another case. There hasn't really been anything terribly new. I've set up equipment, as I always do," she said, starting to tick her list off of her fingers, "been reprimanded for doing something stupid, been called an idiot by Naru several times over; I've checked temperatures; I've been saved from something by all of you—just like every other case, might I add." She put her hands back in her lap. "The only reminders I have that it's different are the flowers, candies, and the boys that try to shove their tongues down my throat. So really, it's like any other case."

"But?" Lin asked, not sure if he believed her logic or not.

"Eh?"

"I can see it on your face. But what?"

"It bothers me that I can't remember my dreams," she said sadly. "I feel like my intuition is trying to tell me something, something important, but I can't hear it—if you know what I mean."

He did know. Now, more than ever, it was important for her to know about the counter-method. How to start though?

"I keep thinking of Kasai-san."

Mai's comment brought him back. "What?" he asked.

"Kasai-san. I keep thinking about how her PK-power fluctuated. She called me about three weeks after we finished the case at her school. She told me that she can't use her PK-powers anymore. I wonder if that's happening to me, too."

"I would sincerely doubt it," he told her.

"Really? Why?" she asked.

"Kasai-san's PK came from watching someone on TV use their powers to bend spoons. Gaining powers that way doesn't always have longevity. Remember, many of the Gellerini lost their powers soon after gaining them. Your powers didn't come from a late-night TV show and they're different from hers, too. My guess is you've always had your power. Sometimes, you'd just _know_ things, little things, mind you, nothing grandiose like you've experienced while working with us. For example, the teacher's probably going to give a pop quiz sometime in class. Or maybe you've dreamed that instead of being outside for gym on a certain day, it will rain and the class will take place inside—an unconscious use of your powers that were still developing. The knowledge that you've demonstrated in past cases is a direct result of using your powers in a more conscious setting; you know you have them and thus you are using them."

"But… it seems like my power is fluctuating—just like hers was. I've never once had this much trouble recalling anything that I've dreamed."

"Stress can do that; you know this. And of all us, you've been suffering the most, lately."

She tilted her head to the side and thought about what he'd said. "I guess you're right," she replied, with a thoughtful frown on her face.

_She guesses?_ Lin wondered. She never did cease to amaze him.

"I just wish that there was some way I could do something—or some way to make me remember my dreams… ah! Can't you go through my mind, Lin-san?" Right then, whether he figured out that she was dreaming of Naru or not didn't matter; remembering was more important.

Lin blinked. _Not quite the opening I was hoping for._ "I could," he said. "But I don't think that will help. It may, for me, be a completely jumbled mass and you'd still have to explain it and sort it out—which directly relates to you remembering. I can't make you remember."

"Is the spell the cause of this?" she asked.

"Possibly. It could also be that your subconscious doesn't want you to remember just yet. A protective measure of your mind."

_My subconscious…no, that's not right. …He? Naru? Yeah, that's right—the Naru in my dreams said I'd remember when I need to…_ "He said I would remember when I need to," she murmured.

"Who said you would?" When she didn't answer, he peered at her face, trying to search for clues. Her eyes had gone wide and glassy—the look of someone about to go into a trance; when she looked like that, he knew that she remembered something from her dreams related to the case. "Mai?"

"He said that I would remember when I need to… it's connected to the spell, the dreams I can't remember. I know this spell's been cast before," she said, her brow scrunching as she tried to remember. "But on a smaller scale. He said I wouldn't remember until I need to."

"Who cast it? When? Can you remember? Who told you that you wouldn't remember until you need to? Mai?"

_No. I can't tell him,_ she thought unconsciously. _I'll never hear the end of it._ She blinked allowing the snippet to fade away and her eyes went back to normal. The moment was lost. Lin frowned, disappointed. He'd been close to at least gleaning something; on the other hand, that had been productive—her subconscious hadn't blocked the dream; someone or something had. That led to other possibilities, and not many of them were good.

"Lin-san?" she asked. "Is something wrong? You seem frustrated."

"You nearly remembered something," he told her.

"I did?" she asked hopefully.

"Yes, but it was gone before you could articulate it." He watched the optimism on her face die and was sorry that he'd caused it to disappear.

"So again I'm no help," she murmured sadly. "I haven't been helpful at all on this case. Is there a way to break the spell—or return it?"

Lin watched her steadily. "Breaking a spell and returning it are two different things. If I knew the caster, I could easily return the spell to them. Breaking it is another story. I could break it completely, if I knew which spell had been used."

"So there are no options?"

"There is one—but it's not permanent. The spell would be likely to come back and with a vengeance, but yes, there is a temporary solution."

She looked up at him with hope shining in her eyes. "There is? What is it?"

"Magic would consider it a counter-spell or a counter-charm. It relies on being the polar opposite of the spell in question."

_Polar opposite? What's the polar opposite of lust, _she wondered. "Does Naru know about it?" she asked.

"He does, yes."

Mai sensed a 'but' in those words. "But…" she trailed off.

"He doesn't consider it an option."

"And who gave him that right?" she asked, starting to get angry. "Aren't I the client? Isn't he obligated to tell me about these things since it's my case?" she asked, her voice rising in pitch. "Or is this another one of his strategic secrets because I have a big mouth?"

_That was harsh,_ he thought. _Then again, he deserves it._ "You're right, he should have told you; you're the only one who has the right to decide. I'll tell you what it is, but I want you to promise me something, first."

Mai stared at him, taking in the fact that he was hesitating; there was an odd look on his face. _He's… he's… he's troubled,_ she decided, finally. _Normally, he tells us what we need to know and that's that. It must be serious if he wants me to promise something._ "What do you need me to promise?" she asked warily.

_Good girl,_ he thought. "Promise me you won't agree until you fully understand; I don't care how many questions you have to ask. No blind leaps of faith. This counter-spell won't work if there's any hint that you didn't understand me."

_I suppose that's easy enough,_ she decided. "Okay," she said, nodding. "I promise."

He searched her face for a moment and then nodded with satisfaction. Quietly, he began to outline the counter spell that he knew of.

…

Mai stared at him and put a hand to her racing heart. She was sure that her face couldn't get any redder and envied the fact that he watched her without the slightest hint of embarrassment or flush. _He… he… he had me thinking the worst, _she thought. _I was seriously worried there, for a minute. Of course Naru would keep this from me! He's already kissed me once and I'll bet he was traumatized by it! Oh… what I wouldn't give to be able to hit him again. I'd hit him so hard; he'd become humble in a heartbeat… a humble Naru, now that's something worth laughing about! Especially since it'll never happen._ She looked at Lin-san and smiled, having regained her composure. "You had me worried there, Lin-san."

He raised a questioning brow.

She felt her face turn redder. "I thought you were going to suggest—"

"That's a permanent and one-time-only solution," he said, cutting her off. "Never, ever, go that route unless you have no other options."

_Permanent, one-time-only solution… meaning the spell could be cast again and there would be nothing to counter it…_ A memory sparked. Mai couldn't see the faces very well, but one—who was undoubtedly female—stood in front of a seated man, offering him herself in payment for the spell's removal; with a wicked smile, he'd accepted. Mai shivered. "That's what _she_ did," Mai murmured, her eyes taking on that same glassy quality.

Lin was instantly alert. "Who? What do you mean? Think back, Mai, and talk to me," he said, reaching out and gripping her shoulders. If he could just keep her in that trance-like state…

She tried to focus on the fuzzy scene replaying in her mind—but it was hazy and growing worse every second, until it became nothing but a jumbled mass that she couldn't make head or tails of. Giving up, she blinked and shook her head, the moment lost. Lin sighed in frustration and released her. This had been happening quite often lately. He resolved to try hypnotism if the counter-charm worked…providing Naru didn't kill him first.

"Lin-san, isn't there a possibility…" she asked, trailing off. That was what scared her the most; she didn't want that to happen—there had already been a few narrowly missed escapes.

He stayed silent for a few minutes. Of course there was a chance. In essence, what he would be doing was relinquishing quite a bit of control to make this work and that would leave him vulnerable; he hated weaving counter-charms like this.

"I won't lie to you," he said quietly, keeping his gaze locked on hers. "There is always a chance. This situation is hardly stable—so many things can go wrong. However, I will definitely do everything in my power to make certain that won't happen; that it won't go that far."

Mai believed him; she trusted him implicitly—all of them, really, even Naru, despite how angry he made her. _I want to do this,_ she thought, her previous flush returning. _I know it's risky and I know it might not work. But you never know until you try, right? And if it doesn't work, then so be it; at least we tried. And if it does work, all the better—maybe I'll be able to remember my dreams. Naru, you're so selfish! It's going to take a lot for me to forgive you for this!_

"Mai?" Lin asked.

Mai turned her attention to her clasped hands. "Naru… must have had a horrible experience kissing me," she mumbled with a sardonic smile on her face. "My first kiss, too—what do I know about kissing boys? It's not like I've ever had a boyfriend before."

Saying nothing in return to her musings, Lin took a moment to recap what he'd learned thus far. _Her powers are going through a down-phase, that's thanks to stress, but what about her dreams being repressed? Her subconscious could do that, but it hasn't been. She remembers her nightmare from the mansion quite clearly. If any dreams would be suppressed, that would definitely be one of them. Someone or something is repressing her dreams; she's continually saying that "__**he**__" told her that she would remember when she needed too. Who is "he," though?_ He watched her steadily. _Some clairvoyants have dream guides. Normally, dream guides are animals, but some take on humanoid forms. I'd rather believe that she has a dream guide, than think of the alternative._

"Lin-san."

Her voice shook him from his musings and he looked at her.

"Did I ever apologize for injuring you when we first met?" she asked.

_Don't tell me she still feels guilty about that!_ "I'm sure you did," he told her, trying to glimpse her face.

"That's good," she replied, looking up at him with a smile.

He waited.

"It sucks, you know."

"What does?"_  
_

"This," she said, gesturing around vaguely. "Almost two weeks ago, I could walk these halls alone, without needing protection. Now I can't."

_Ah, I see. I'll agree with her.  
_

"If you don't accompany me and stay with me through class, I end up nearly molested."

_Almost raped is actually a closer comparison._

"When someone else is with me, I have to worry about their charms degrading. And when they do finally degrade, I end up being the victim again and another kiss is stolen. That's why I want to do this—the counter-charm you told me about; that's why I want you to do this. I've been kissed by everyone else except Masako and Ayako, thankfully—why not you, too? It can't be easy guarding me with this spell. I know it's risky; I know there's probably a greater chance of failure than success, but I want to try. I don't know what to do—I've already admitted it: what do I know about kissing boys? But maybe it'll work, right? We won't know until we try, right? If it doesn't, then at least we've exhausted every option. But more importantly," she said, "I just want to walk the halls of school unbothered!" she cried, her cheeks flaring a brilliant red color.

Lin stared at her. _Of all the things to motivate her, walking through the halls unaffected is her top priority. I should have known._ "Fail?" he asked, smirking. "You've been kissing amateurs, Mai. You learn things about people when you simply observe them," he said, when she looked at him. "Trust me when I say that Naru doesn't know the first thing about kissing a girl. Brown-san wouldn't and Takigawa-san needs more time."

"I don't know," Mai said thoughtfully, "John's kiss was kind of sweet. Bou-san's wasn't bad, either—just a bit rough."

_And no mention of Naru,_ he thought. "Amateurs," he said again, shifting closer. "Shall I show you what you've missed? Shall I show you what a kiss can be?" he asked, his face hovering just inches from hers.

He was so close… Mai gasped when his arms caged her body.

"Well, Mai?" A long fingered hand touched her cheek gently. "If you want to back out, that's fine too," he told her. "There may be other counter methods."

_N…no,_ she thought. When he started to draw away, she grabbed his shirt cuff. "Show me," she said firmly. A dusting of red decorated her cheeks, but her eyes were determined.

He stared at her for a few seconds, surprised. He'd been sure that she was going to back out at the last second. He smiled; no doubt he was a dead man when Naru heard of this. "As you wish, Mai," he said, dipping his head. "I'll prove to you that those three were, indeed amateurs."

_Confident, aren't we?_ she thought, annoyed.

"I have every right to be confident," he said, dipping his tongue into her ear.

She gasped. _Wha…what was that?_ she wondered, her hand automatically reaching up to her ear.

He caught her hand before it reached her earlobe and gently lowered it back to the couch, keeping it prisoner with his own. Putting his mouth close to her ear he whispered, "Haven't you caught on yet, Mai? Unlike them, I have plenty of experience."

Shivers ran down her spine. _I'm glad I'm sitting! He hasn't even kissed me yet and I'm already weak-kneed! And he told me that this wouldn't be a straight kiss—in order to weave the counter spell, he'd actually have to invoke lust…_

He kissed her once beneath her ear softly—she barely felt it. When his teeth clamped down gently on her earlobe and sucked on it, she gasped again. She felt his left arm encircle her waist. He trailed hot, wet, kisses down the smooth, pale column of her neck.

_"I'm sure you know this, but allow me to reiterate so you fully understand what this will entail, Taniyama-san."_

_"Mai."_

_He rolled his eyes. "Mai. This is not a love spell; you know this. They do not affect groups—unless of course, the caster is truly stupid. The magic of a love spell is directed to one person and one person only."_

He'd decided to focus on one place to build half the energy that he would need from her. He'd considered her shoulder, but disregarded the idea almost immediately. Her uniform would hide her shoulder; Lin didn't want this to be easily hidden. He wanted especially for the caster to see and know not to take them lightly. SPR _would_ find him or her and put a stop to this nonsense. He admitted, and only to himself, that he wanted to be selfish about this and _indulge_. He could be no less than human to weave this counter spell.

_"We've established already that this is a lust spell. In particular, this spell not only causes lust, but brings into being and feeds off of all the negative, carnal aspects of this emotion—you've seen from previous cases that this gives additional strength. These negative characteristics lead to obsession, hate, and yes, rape."_

He traced slow, teasing kisses from her shoulder and across her collarbone, heading towards the hollow of her throat. Lin found that he had an odd fascination with that part of her that went back to their first meeting—after the shoe cases had fallen on him. Naru had asked her to help him get Lin to the hospital and she'd grabbed his arm, intent on helping him up. He slapped at her hand violently, wanting no help from a nosy brat that had broken their camera and caused his injury. He'd leveled a nasty glare at her and told her he didn't need or want her assistance; Naru had rebuked him for this later—especially since Mai hadn't told them _where_ or _how near_ to the entrance of her school the hospital in question was (a mile, or thereabouts, but when one factored a sprained leg into the equation…).

His tone towards Mai had been furious and it had definitely frightened her; she'd flinched and her pulse started to race—Lin had watched its frantic dance in her throat. He, if ever forced to explain why he'd found that so fascinating, knew he wouldn't be able to; it was just one of those things that really didn't have a logical explanation behind it. Regardless of being unable to explicate his odd interest—he wasn't satisfied with merely _seeing_ it or _remembering_ it; he wanted to _feel_ it. He nipped playfully at the hollow of her throat and was rewarded with the frantic jump of her pulse beneath his lips. He smiled, inordinately pleased with his success. Determined to continue with this vein, he scraped his teeth over the area and was rewarded with a gasp.

"L…Lin-san…" she whispered, trembling. She could feel her pulse racing; she would have to be blind, deaf, and dumb not to know, and she wondered why the Chinese man found it so interesting. She tried to escape his grasp—twisting this way and that. She'd learned very fast that tossing her head back simply gave him better access. She wanted him to move on—this was torture.

_"But the simple fact is, Mai, that lust is an emotion. And nearly everyone encounters it at some point and in some form or another. It is, however, one of the most unstable and unpredictable emotions, which is why I can't guarantee the success of this venture."_

_Ah, ah_, Lin thought when she tried to escape again. His hand slid up her back and came to rest on her neck, pulling her closer and holding her immobile. _Just for that…_ he thought, nipping again at her throat and sucking gently. She gasped again and her trembling increased. _How long as it been_, he wondered, _since I've induced so much pleasure in anyone person? Madoka was the last. If we were, or could be anything more, I'd show you what flying is,_ he thought, a tad bitter. _My name, my given name would fall from your lips, not Naru's; I would be in your thoughts constantly. The things that I could show you are endless._

_Too much,_ Mai thought, trying one last time to twist away and failing. _I can't take this! Why didn't I realize it sooner…?_ A keening sound escaped her throat and that was what Lin had been waiting for. As much as he wanted to stay right where he was—really, her throat was just fascinating, especially when her pulse raced—he needed to stop. He had half the energy he needed. The kiss proper would build the rest. With one last nip and lap, he left her throat and slowly worked his way up the other side of her neck before planting a solemn kiss against her jaw and raising his head higher to flick his tongue into her other ear.

"Do you believe me, now?" he purred.

_What is this? This is a side of him I've never seen—I've never even glimpsed! _She didn't answer; she couldn't. Her brain couldn't quite seem to form a coherent sentence and then connect it with her mouth—all that emerged was something of a squeak.

He chuckled in her ear. "Oh, we're not done yet. We're going to make that cloud you keep seeing disappear completely. When you dream next, it won't be there."

_I…I…_ Mai couldn't think. She felt the urge to remove his tie—she liked him better when he was dressed more casually. Day in and day out, all she saw him wearing were suits. He looked so much more relaxed when he lost the tie and vest.

When Lin felt her hand start to tug on the knot in his tie, he grabbed it and eased away to peer into her eyes. She blinked, confused.

"No matter what you have the urge to do, don't do it—ignore that so-called inner voice because it's not _yours_. I made a promise to you, Mai, that I wouldn't let it go that far; I intend to see that through." Holding her eyes, he lifted her hand to his face and placed a gentle kiss on her palm. Folding his hand over hers, he laced their fingers together, and lowered their joined hands to the couch.

Tears welled up in her eyes and began to slip down her cheeks; she sniffed._ This… must be making him very uncomfortable. __**I**__ must be making him uncomfortable._

_What the…_ "Mai?" This was new. Normally when he kissed women, they didn't cry—at least, not this form of crying. _She certainly knows how to punch the ego. Now's the part where I start panicking that I've somehow hurt her,_ he thought dryly. And sure enough, he began to wonder and he went through, step-by-step, making certain that he hadn't inadvertently inflicted any pain. He focused on her throat, extremely pleased that he could already see his handiwork. He didn't see any blood, thankfully, but perhaps he'd somehow caused her some discomfort? He thought he'd only scraped, not bitten—nipping didn't count. _Of course it does._

While it was true he was absolutely enthralled with her throat, that hadn't been the only motivating factor, and he was certain that she'd felt pleasure—wasn't he? She was young, she'd said so herself. She didn't know what these feelings were, or what lust was; thinking someone was handsome and feeling a heart go pitter-patter in response didn't equate. Damn, but he hated weaving spells like this! And this was shaky ground, Lin knew; if Mai's mindset changed, then everything so far was all for naught. He was so busy hoping that she didn't change her mind that he forgot all about the strength she possessed as a person.

She raised her free hand to her eyes and wiped away the tears with partial success. "I'm sorry, Lin-san," she said, smiling softly.

_No, _he thought. _Please don't tell me you can't go through with this now and make everything so far count for nothing. _ "For?" he asked gently. Her answer surprised him.

"Making you miserable; I know I am. I'm young and stupid. You must be so uncomfortable doing this," she said sadly, looking down at their entwined hands. Tears shimmered in her eyes again as she thought about the gentle kiss he'd placed on her palm.

He smiled faintly and the counter-charm, which had started to waver at the onset of her tears, solidified again and waited to be completed. Who knew of this strength within her, he wondered. Everyone, except him, it seemed. "Your crying dismays me more."

Smiling, she sniffed one final time, wiped away the tears for good, and flashed him a small, albeit watery smile. "Crying always scares men. I seem to recall Bou-san being frightened of my tears at the church that Kenji-kun was haunting, but why I was crying, I can't remember."

_Please don't,_ he thought fervently.

"It's not working, is it?" she asked. The way she asked made Lin think that she had an inkling to what her small crying stint had done. He saw no need to add to her guilt, assuming he was reading her correctly.

"It is. I can feel it starting to take effect; the main bulk is done," he told her, touching her throat gently; her pulse began to beat again beneath his fingers and he caressed the area gently. "The rest, if we're successful, will finish on its own. But like I said, we're not done yet." There was no need to tell her that when she started crying the spell had nearly vanished. He moved in close again; she looked up at him. "Bear with me a little while longer," he whispered, planting a gentle kiss on her forehead.

She nodded, just once. Taking that as a go-ahead, he tilted her head back and gently, reverently, lowered his mouth to hers. Her lips were soft and pliant beneath his, but would they yield? Since the onslaught of the spell, he'd wondered what it would feel like to kiss her. Now that he knew, he allowed himself to simply enjoy the sensation. He slid off the table, bringing himself closer to her petite form. Mai sunk back into the couch cushion, allowing him the space to get even closer.

_"This spell was aimed at you and you alone. To think otherwise is delusional on your part. There is an old saying: 'fight fire with fire.' I'm sure you've heard this before. Literally speaking, it is not true: if you light another fire in a burning building, it will not cancel out the fire already burning. But if Takigawa-san insults you, do you not insult him back? Don't try to deny it," he told her when she tried to protest. "I've seen you. Don't ever think that I'm unaware of what goes on around me. If someone insults you, you reciprocate in kind. In this sense, the analogy works: someone insults you, and you insult back. _

_But there is one other way to apply that adage. And that is in the magical sense. Remember back at the house with the doll—the woman who was searching for her daughter, who'd been kidnapped. Afterwards, Naru told all of you that there is white and black to any casting. This is quite true; magic itself is neither white nor black. If you had to assign an affiliation to it, magic would be gray."_

_"But there are white spells and black spells."_

_"That's true. But Mai, who creates those spells? Magic, or humans?"_

_"Humans."_

_"Correct. Magic did not create a black spell and it did not create a white spell. Magic does not create anything—it merely exists. It's up to the person using the power to decide whether it's being used for good or bad."_

_"But some say gods created some of those spells," she argued.  
_

_He shrugged. "This, I do not know. I do not know which god is said to have created which spell. I know only that magic exists—I use it myself, as you'll recall—and that it depends on who and how it's being used. And this brings me to what you need to understand. You need to understand that I intend to make you __**feel**__ lust, to experience it. If you have the mindset that I'm forcing this on you, well then, you will only feed the spell, because that is taking, and black magic understands that very well."_

He snaked his tongue across her bottom lip. Surprised, she gasped, granting him the access he'd hoped for. Leisurely, he dipped his tongue into her mouth, taking his time to explore. It was then that he began to wonder if this would actually work—true, she hadn't pushed him away and wasn't exhibiting signs that he'd forced anything, but all the same, Lin wondered if he wasn't just giving in like the others had.

_Lin-san seems worried; it's almost like I can feel it and taste it,_ Mai thought, her eyes fluttering shut. He hadn't said much about it, but she understood intuitively that the success of this venture also rested on her. Except… his experience versus her inexperience wasn't helping. Between one heartbeat and the next, she felt whatever Lin had weaved begin to unravel. In that space of time, she understood the last part of his warning.

_"There is something you should know—a basic fact about magic. Anything willingly given and willingly received is generally positive, and as I've told you black magic does not understand giving and receiving. This is all about power—power and vengeance. The risk isn't so much about potential control loss as it is efforts being in vain. If this doesn't work, well then, I'm sure I've made the consequences quite clear. Therefore, some of the responsibility must also lie with you. Do you still wish to go through with this?"_

_I do! And I will! _Mai told herself firmly. _I won't let this fail!_ Gathering her courage and sending up a quick prayer to the gods that she didn't become a coward, she tentatively kissed him back. Surprised, Lin stopped his own ministrations and let her do as she pleased—provided she didn't go after any of his clothing. Hesitantly, she explored his mouth as he had hers and grew bolder about it every second, much to his amusement. Reclaiming her hand, Mai wrapped both arms around his neck, bringing him closer still. By now, she was in complete control of the kiss and the power of that was heady; she could get used to this…

Lin jerked her off the couch and up against his chest, burying one hand in her hair. Keeping her arms around his neck, she pressed herself closer, eliciting a small groan from the Chinese man. _No,_ he thought. Apparently, the latent telepathy she'd displayed in Suwa wasn't working just then, because she did the same thing again. Angling his head down, he reclaimed the control he'd relinquished. She was a fast learner, the minx, and he had a promise to keep. Gently, he eased her back against the heavy sofa he'd pulled her from, the hand on her head sliding down and cupping the back of her neck; he took her free hand again and gave it a gentle squeeze that she returned. On instinct, Mai craned her head back. _Just a bit more,_ he thought.

Time slowed down as it always did when he worked with what he called heavier magics—the feeling always left him breathless. The spell he'd woven finished on its own, taking energy from both of them. His heart pulsed once and he saw and felt a gossamer-fine web settle over the malignant cloud and begin to shrink, taking the curse with it. Whoever had cast that spell was going to be very unhappy.

_It worked,_ he thought. _Color me surprised._ Slowly, Lin brought their heated kiss to an end, chastely pressing his lips to hers a few times. He sat back on his knees and let her lean against him until she regained her senses. Gently, he disentangled his hand from hers. _How did she know? Imagine, as innocent as she is, making __**me**__ feel lust and in return saving a good deal of my energy. She truly is something else._

_Wow,_ Mai thought, dazed. _How many high school boys can kiss like that?_ she wondered. Lightly, she fingered her throat, wondering just what he'd done. She couldn't begin to describe all the sensations that she'd felt.

"Are you all right?" he asked quietly, noticing the gentle explorations she made of her throat.

_Never better,_ she thought, nodding. She was grateful for the support of his tall frame.

"It worked," he told her quietly. "Did you feel it; see it?"

She nodded again. "It felt like a cocoon," she said dreamily. "Looked the same, too," she told him as an after thought.

An accurate description, he supposed. After a few seconds, she gave a small laugh.

"What?" Lin asked.

"Nothing," she replied, grinning from ear to ear.

"Liar," he accused, smiling down at her.

"I was just… thinking."

"Oh? A penny for your thoughts then."

"I was just wondering how many high school boys know how to kiss like that."

He smirked. "I told you, did I not? I have every right to my confidence. And how many can you think of?" Lin watched as she fiddled with the knot of his tie, but didn't try to undo it.

She smiled up at him. "None," she said. "You've just spoiled me; they're going to have very big shoes to fill. Maybe you should give them lessons."

He sniffed in mock offense. "I am most certainly not teaching a bunch of hormonal teenage boys how to kiss girls."

"It was just a suggestion," Mai said mildly.

"Not happening."

…

_No!_

_What? What's happened?_

_Damn that man!_

_Who? What are you talking about? What happened?_

_All that hard work—he knew. Damn him to the deepest hell, he knew. And he knows what it'll take to bring it back_.

A sigh whooshed softly from her lips. _I wish you'd tell me what's going on._

_Can't you feel it? He shattered the spell._

Now that it was mentioned... her energy did seem to be returning, slowly but surely. _Who did?_

_That man—the silent one that's always in the room watching over her._

_You mean the one she calls Lin-san?_

_Is that him? _

_I think so._

_Hmm… but how did he know? _She squinted at him in the mirror._ Well, of course. Why didn't I see it earlier? Our abilities are completely different and he hides his well. _

_I'm confused. Are you saying he works magic, too?_

_Why yes, child—he does. I should have realized what he was and found a way to get him out of the equation earlier. _

_How different are his abilities? _

_Different enough. True, magic is magic. What matters is how it's used and the philosophies applied to it. And that's where we differ. So he shattered it. No matter—it's not __**gone**__. I can bring it back, but it will cost you._

_Can't we stop this, _her host pleaded._ If he broke the spell, doesn't that mean they're getting close?_

_He didn't break it—he performed a counter-curse. Breaking curses and performing counter-curses are completely different. All he did was give them leeway._

_What's the difference between what he did and breaking it? Weren't the effects the same?_

_No. To break or return a curse, you must know exactly __**which**__ curse was used. Had he returned it, __**you**__ would be suffering what she's suffered. More than likely, it'd be worse for you, because the effects would multiply. What goes around comes around. Ugly phrase, isn't it? The karma attached to it is just as ugly. Since he didn't know what spell I used, he cast a spell that contained the polar opposite of what the curse is. It didn't get rid of it, because it's not gone; it can be brought back._

_Should we?_ The thought that it could come back to her and be worse scared her. She wasn't sure this so-called 'guardian angel' would protect her from the wrath of Mai's friends._ It's awfully risky, isn't it? Aren't they getting close?_ She tried not to think about how awful she'd feel if they brought it back.

Elegant hands waved aside the questions. _Not enough to make a difference. But… I thought you wanted revenge against Taniyama Mai,_ came the bland statement. _She stole your boyfriend, after all. When we first started this venture, you told me that you would do anything to see her suffer._

_Well, yes, but she has, hasn't she?_

_Are you satisfied, then?_ There was no need to ask.

_Not really, _came the admittance.

_Then let's recast the curse. We'll make it so that the one who shattered it plays a part in its completion._

_I don't know…_

Hands ran through her hair soothingly. _Didn't your mother ever teach you to start what you finish?_

_Yes, of course._

_Then why is this any different? You started something—you should finish it._

_I don't like this. I think they're on to us. On to __**me**._

_Trust me, they'll find you too little, too late._

She bit her lip and stared at the other woman in the mirror. _All right,_ she said finally.

Her energy was ripped cruelly from her body and she slumped forward onto the vanity.

…

**A/n:** And there you have it. Honestly, I think I wanted to make Lin just a bit more human. Sadly enough, we don't see any hint of being completely human until volume eight of the manga. One comment on it: Naru, you're an idiot to think PK-ST will do something against a spirit in motion.

Ah, yes, let's see… hmm… well, I know in my profile on it says what will happen to flames. I have a slight amendment to make to that statement. You see, I originally started with _two_ pet dragons and the shop-keeper assured me they were both female. …Except one was male. So now, instead of having two dragons, I have upgraded to five. The babies are cute… when they're sleeping that is. Anyhow, flames will be fed to the five dragons I now have. Just an FYI. XD Review and make me happy.

Twilight Princess is calling. See you all in chapter nine.


	9. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned

**Chapter nine: Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.**

**Warning! GenexMai and more LinxMai. Closet LinxNaru fans should also be happy with this. **

**This chapter is dedicated to MX on LiveJournal, in honor of her birthday. Happy birthday, darling and enjoy the chapter!**

**A/N:** So, say goodbye to CLAMP's _Legal Drug_, and say hello to _xxxHolic_ for a few scenes—the latter also by CLAMP. I sadly don't own any of the works used in this fanfiction. I would like to remind everyone that this is _Ghost Hunt_ anime and manga compliant. If you see something in the story that does not agree with the anime, it's probably because it happened that way in the manga, and vice-versa. **By the way, don't read this if you're about to go to work. **There's a bit more LinxMai here than originally planned in honor of MX, seeing that she enjoys the pairing same as I.

I extend a large and profuse thank you to **TitianWren** for beta-reading this extra long chapter. This is probably the longest chapter of _Shades of Lust_ and we're getting close to the end. I estimate two more chapters and I'll finally be able to move onto other projects, and hopefully go back to older ones. I also extend a large thanks to **Jenx,** and **Sayuri07**—both who took the time to read this in its formation and half-written stages and were kind enough to give opinions. Thank you all for your input on LiveJournal, too.

For those of you who aren't aware, I have two new _Ghost Hunt_ stories lined up, plus four one-shots, one at the request of my beta-reader herself—which will be combined with Azamiko's, as I'm answering her (odd) challenge on LiveJournal, another a very (**read:** very, very) belated birthday present to Yami-oneesan on LiveJournal, and of course, OPessimistz one-shot. So look forward to those. Look forward to two new multi-chaptered fics, as well. One a cross with _Ouran High School Host Club_ and one straight _Ghost Hunt_, no crossovers. Sorry NaruxMai fans—it's not happening beyond O-Pessimistz one shot. Don't request it either. I would like to remind you all that my small dragon family of two has become five, flames are ineffective.

"_Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned; nor hell a fury like a woman scorned." William Congreve: The Mourning Bride, 1697. _

…

Naru glared at Lin; the Chinese man stared back steadily. Mai watched them both with worry.

"I trusted you." Naru's voice was soft.

_Deadly,_ Mai thought, shivering.

His eyes were frigid as they held Lin's. Breaking his stare, Naru looked over at Mai; she watched his gaze trail down to her throat—which bore Lin's handiwork—and saw his eyes grow even colder. A fine tremor of rage ran through his body. Compared to him, Lin looked almost bored.

_But his stance,_ Mai thought, _looks defensive, like he's preparing for a fight._

"I didn't succumb to the spell," Lin said finally.

Mai knew she should have expected this. In a way, she did. _Maybe 'expected' isn't the right word, _she thought. _Prepared; I should have been better prepared._ When the boys at her school had suddenly started acting as if they'd just woken up from a trance, she knew that Naru would know, and he probably wouldn't be happy with either of them—Lin especially.

"I told you the counter spell wasn't an option!" Naru said, his voice still soft. "What prompted you to go against my orders?"

Mai cut in before Lin could answer. "You jerk!" she cried, balling her hands into fists and glaring at him. "How could _you_ keep this from me? This isn't some stupid, strategic secret of yours, Naru! I brought this case to you; _I'm_ the client this time! What right did you have to keep this from me?"

He turned to look at her and she flinched at how glacial his expression was. "I call it protecting you," he told her coldly. "The less you knew the better. You were under enough stress as it was and I felt no need to add to it. We'd already pieced together that this was a curse, rather than just a spell. All we needed to do was find out what waited upon its completion and who the caster was—the case would have wrapped up soon enough." He turned back to Lin. "This, however, adds more complication. The spell will come back and if the caster can manage it, it will be either complete or nearly so. We have a limited time to figure out what happens when it's finished."

_Rape,_ Mai thought—as Naru's words slid through her brain. _That's what will happen if the curse is completed._ She knew with a certainty that shook her to the core—just as she knew that this had happened before, long before her school had been a gleam in the eyes of the government. "Rape," she said softly, tears starting to run down her cheeks; she wished Bou-san or Ayako were in the room right now.

Both men turned to her. "What was that?" Naru asked.

"Rape," she repeated. "If the spell is completed, then rape awaits the intended victim. I'm not sure how I know, I just do."

Naru really wished she'd stop questioning her intuition and what it told her.

"Makes sense," Lin said, watching Mai thoughtfully. He turned to Naru. "I'm not sure why we didn't see that sooner. Each stolen kiss galvanized the next one. The only question then besides who cast it and why, would be who's slated to perform the rape."

"Does the spell break if we stop the rape from happening?" Naru asked.

Silent, Lin watched the young ghost hunter as he contemplated the question. "It might," he said finally. "Some curses have contingencies attached to them—they rebound back to the caster if they fail."

"Will this one act the same?"

Lin frowned. "As I don't know exactly which spell was used, I can't say."

"Theoretically speaking?"

"Hypothetically… the way this was set up…I'd say no—it won't rebound back to the caster."

Naru frowned in frustration.

"The counter-curse gave us at least forty-eight hours—plenty of time to put all the pieces together," Lin told him, hoping that wouldn't bring Naru's wrath crashing down upon him.

Mai spoke up, preventing that. "If I dream… I think I can answer those questions." She could and she knew it. Moreover, it was unlikely that she _wouldn't_ now that the spell was gone temporarily. Bits and pieces of her previous dreams were starting to resurface—they were one big puzzle for now, but they would straighten themselves out soon enough. She looked at Naru and her eyes softened. _Protect me. That idiot._ Slowly, she approached him and he watched her warily. She'd already slapped him once with a sweet look on her face—he had no desire for an encore performance, especially with Lin in the room.

Mai put her hands on his cheeks and smiled at him gently. "Naru… you can't protect someone by keeping them in the dark. I understand why you didn't tell any of us the true reason for our presence in Suwa—you probably haven't forgiven me for telling everyone that you bent a spoon with your mind when we were at Yuasa High School. But these situations aren't the same. You owe it to me, both as the investigator that I hired and as my friend, to tell me about these things, no matter how unpleasant they are. Not telling me only added to my stress and my worry. I was actually afraid you would fire me because I was being so unhelpful. Next time, keep me informed, as you've done in the past," she said.

She was right; Naru knew she was. He was surprised to feel guilt swamp him. An entire year and then some had flown by and Mai had become a regular presence in his life after he first met her. It was simply an administrative job that he'd offered her because they were both orphans and he knew how hard it was. Despite that, even from their second case onward, she'd proved herself capable of so much more. True, she had a big mouth and he kept silent on their real purpose in Suwa, but this time, she'd come to him for help and he'd deliberately stayed quiet. He was many things, yes, but stupid wasn't one of them. When he was wrong, he knew it and this was one of those times. He bowed his head towards hers. "I'm sorry," he said quietly, missing Lin's quick smile. "I shouldn't have kept that from you and I apologize. It won't happen again."

Mai nodded, accepting his words. "I trust you implicitly," she said.

His heart swelled; he could have kissed her for that—but he simply nodded at her. Hopefully, she wasn't thinking about slapping him or anything of the sort just to spite him.

She smiled and dropped her hands, much to his disappointment. "I'm starting to remember everything."

Both men stared at her. "Everything?" Lin asked.

She nodded at him. "Yes," she told him. "It's starting to come back to me now in bits and pieces. A little bit of sleep and everything will sort itself out and give me more answers than questions."

"If you go home now, can you sleep?" Naru asked.

"Not without some sort of sleep aid, no. But that's easily obtained," she said quickly, when Naru glared at Lin. "Either that, or let me sit through math class."

Naru turned back to her. "You're stupid enough as it is; why would I add to it by letting you sleep in class?"

"What was that?" she asked sweetly, tensing in anticipation.

Naru suddenly realized that Bou-san wasn't in the room. If Mai attacked him, there was a good chance that Lin wouldn't help—rather, he'd turn a blind eye and sigh over his immaturity. Naru sighed. "Nothing," he said. "Go get your stuff; Lin will take you home in a few minutes."

She smiled in triumph and made her way to the door. Before she exited the room, she turned back to Naru. "Don't stay angry for long," she told him. "I had to agree too, you know."

Then, she left the room and Naru turned his attention back to his Chinese associate. "Does she know you have such an odd fascination with her throat?" he asked.

"Doe she know _you_ have an odd fascination with her hips and back?" the older man said, mimicking him.

Naru turned a faint shade of pink and looked away. Lin sighed and began to make his way to the door. "I'll pick up a sleeping aid for her at your favorite drug store."

The young president of SPR turned back to him and stared. "My favorite drug store? Whatever are you talking about?" he asked, bewildered. What in the world had addled his co-worker's mind? In-so-far as Naru was concerned, he didn't have a favorite _anything_ store.

"Apparently so," the Chinese man said, looking at him blandly.

Naru's eyes widened in recognition. "Bou-san!" he said, exasperated. _Yet __**another**__ person that has a big mouth, dammit!_

Shaking his head, Lin made his way over to the door. Naru called to him just before he could open it. With a sigh, the Chinese man turned back to his teenage boss.

"Does this change things between you and Mai?"

He'd expected Naru to ask something like this. "Things changed between us back during our case in Suwa. Not quite so drastically, but they _did_ change."

"So she was on the receiving end of your bias. What did she say to you?"

"The same thing Gene said, with one minor change."

Naru crossed his arms and leaned against the table. "That had to be a shock," he said, looking out the window.

"Indeed," Lin said, once again attempting to open the door.

"Did you enjoy?" Naru's voice was pitched low and he glared at the ground.

"Should I answer that?" Lin asked in return. He kept his eyes deliberately on the door.

It was a simple question—it had only one of two answers—neither of which would make him happy. "No," he replied. "I suppose you shouldn't."

"Then I won't." That said, Lin stepped out the door.

When he was gone, Naru allowed himself to indulge in a brief fit of rage. The table he'd been leaning against went flying. "Did you know, Gene?" he asked out loud. "After all, you told me not to get upset if Lin had to use the counter-spell. You must have known."

_Idiot scientist,_ came the affectionate moniker.

Naru shook his head. _Where are you, Gene,_ he wondered. Closing his eyes, Naru took the time to compose himself. He was no good to anyone if he was too angry to think—thinking and putting puzzle pieces together were what he did best; it was the secret (or maybe not) of his success. He would solve this case. When he felt his normal calm envelope him, he bent down and picked up his folder from the debris that had been a functional table and with a sharp flick of his wrist, cleared it of dust and rubble. Opening it, he blew out what had crept in and made his way over to the couch.

…The couch. Where the counter-spell had been performed. He sat down in the exact same place that Mai had been sitting—the cushion was still a bit warm from when she'd been there. Almost unconsciously, he stretched out his hand and placed it on the couch cushion. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and began to synch himself with the couch. Fuzzy pictures started to roll into his mind when he suddenly realized what he was doing and jerked his hand away.

He laughed. The hollow sound echoed despairingly around the empty room. _Oh, that was cute, Noll. Real cute,_ he told himself. _Even if you do see it through psychometry, what good will it do you? None—so focus on the case. That's the reason you're here—not to sulk. Much as I don't want to admit it, Lin did what he had to do—I'd be lying to myself if I said we didn't need the time._ Lecture complete, he pulled out notes from the case, spread them on the table in front of him, and tried to drown himself in the knowledge that sat beneath his fingertips. Really, Yasuhara-san was very good at digging up facts, no matter how obscure or unimportant they seemed.

He gave up after half an hour. He just couldn't concentrate. The need to know that Mai had indeed agreed like she'd said refused to leave him alone. Placing his hand back on the cushion, he centered himself and took in another deep breath.

_Don't do it._

Naru jerked out of the trance he'd started to put himself into and looked around. "Gene?"

_Don't do it, Noll. You're not going to like what you see._

"I know," he said, out loud. "But I _have_ to know. It's driving me crazy not knowing."

_Idiot scientist,_ he heard on a sigh. _Be careful. Don't synchronize too strongly. You'll black out if you do._

"Are you sure you're not Mum in disguise?"

There was no answer to that. Taking a breath, he centered himself again and gently put himself into a trance, coaxing the images to clarify themselves. They needed no cajoling. They leaped into his mind and he couldn't stop them from smothering him. He tried to jerk himself away, but it was too late—he _was_ Mai.

Lin sat on the coffee table facing them, calmly outlining what the counter-spell entailed.

They asked questions and he answered. They shared their concerns and the Chinese man responded. They took the time to think it over—after all, they'd promised Lin they would. Finally, they told him yes. They _wanted_ to do this and with Lin. Everyone else had kissed them, excluding Masako and Ayako—why shouldn't he? They wanted to walk the halls of the school unbothered again. Naru knew the Chinese man well enough to know that they'd surprised him.

Then it started. He felt it as if it were happening to him—everything that Mai had felt and gone through, so did he. _God,_ Naru thought, digging his hand into the cushion and trying to pull out.

The memory came harder and faster and he struggled to get out before he blacked out. _Gene!_ he thought. _Help me!_ It seemed, however, that he'd been abandoned. _This is the price I pay for curiosity,_ he admonished himself as Lin plundered their mouth. When they kissed Lin back, Naru knew he was in trouble; he was too strongly synched. Try as he might, he couldn't break free of the memories no matter how hard he struggled to. Darkness began to encroached itself on his vision as the scenes continued their dreadful spiel. Before the memories finished, Naru gave himself willingly to the beckoning oblivion.

_Idiot scientist. Why don't you ever listen?_ Naru heard just before blacking out.

…

When Lin pulled into the parking lot of Green Drugstore Mai was snoozing in the passenger seat of the SUV. She'd been silent from the time she'd gotten into the Jeep. He wasn't sure why it bothered him—possibly because over the last week or so he'd gotten used to hearing about her problems. Her sleep, he noticed, wasn't deep enough sleep to let her dream, but perhaps this rest would help her. She hadn't been getting enough sleep lately. Her brow scrunched and he nixed that idea. Her mind was hard at work processing the large jumble of prior dreams into something coherent. _Too bad I have to wake her,_ he thought.

Undoing his seat belt, he turned and gently shook Mai's arm. "Taniyama-san," he said. "I need you to wake up, please."

She mumbled something and sunk further down into her seat.

"Taniyama-san," he said, trying again.

"Mai," she murmured.

Rolling his eyes, Lin shook her again. "Mai, please wake up," he coaxed.

No response. Lin felt himself growing frustrated. _Is she doing this on purpose,_ he wondered. He looked out the window and felt a wicked smile spread on his face. Mai would have quaked at it, were she awake to see it. He leaned in close, making sure that she could feel his chest against her shoulder and back. One arm snaked around her waist, drawing her closer. He pitched his voice so that it was low and seductive.

"I have other methods at my disposal, too. I was simply trying to be polite. Have you forgotten that these windows are tinted, Mai? No one can see in," he said, nuzzling her throat and kissing it.

Her eyes flew open faster than a humming bird could fly. "I'm up!" she said, clamping her hand over the hollow of her throat and nearly smacking him in the process. He let her go and moved away just in time.

He fought back a laugh. "Thank you for waking up," he said seriously.

She glared at him grumpily. "You did that on purpose," she accused.

He shrugged. "I tried to be polite," he pointed out. "It was you who refused to wake up. And now that you _are_ awake, I need you to stay that way at least until I return. I shouldn't be more than a few minutes. I'm not turning the car off—stay awake and keep the doors locked."

She nodded.

"Good," he told her opening the door and sliding out of the Jeep. "Mai," he called when he saw her yawn and her eyes droop.

She looked at him.

"Stay awake or I might be tempted to try something else," Lin said, aiming that same wicked smile at her.

Her eyes widened and her face turned ten different shades of red. "I'm awake!" she said, sitting up straight. "I promise not to go to sleep."

"Good idea. Lock the doors, please," he said, closing his.

Mai pushed the button and saw him nod. Turning, he walked into the pharmacy.

_He's as scary as Yasuhara-san!_ Mai thought, putting her hand to her racing heart. _Really, what's gotten into him?_ she wondered, watching him disappear into the store.

Lin stood just inside the pharmacy and looked at the signs above the aisles. _Sleep aid… aisle five._ Heading that way, he located the sleeping medicine with little effort. Picking up two different kinds, he began to read the ingredients. He didn't want to knock her out, just ease her into a sleep where she could dream.

"You don't want any of those." A slender hand snatched the two packages from him.

Slowly, Lin turned to see a feminine-looking bespectacled man that seemed to match Takigawa-san in height. He smiled at Lin who frowned back. _I have the feeling…_

"These," he said, holding them up, "will only put Taniyama-san into a dreamless sleep. And unless I'm mistaken, you don't want that."

Lin raised a brow at the man. _Hmm…he's precognitive._ "Then what do you suggest…?"

"Kakei," the man said, his smile growing wider.

"Kakei-san," Lin said, inclining his head politely in his companion's direction. "What would you suggest?"

Wordlessly, the bespectacled man withdrew a packet from his pocket and held it up for Lin to see.

Lin frowned at the golden-colored powder in the small bag. "You don't sell this in your shop, do you?"

"Oh, you're very clever—and very right. This was mixed especially for Taniyama-san by a…oh, I suppose you could call her a client of mine… in return for acquiring a High-Moon Urn for her."

A High-Moon Urn—pure chi in a basket, quite literally; with the right components, they could transport a person to even another plane, Lin knew. What this so-called 'client' needed with a High-Moon Urn, Lin didn't want to know. "Those are hard to come by," he said slowly, still thinking of what High-Moon Urns were capable of. "You'd have had to get it from a shrine—and they don't give those up easily," he finished, aiming a piercing look at the man.

"This is true," Kakei said, smiling again. The smile faded and he looked at the packet in his hand. "This mix will ease Taniyama-san to sleep and still allow her to dream. Mix it with whatever drink she likes—it makes no difference; it'll still taste vile."

Warily, Lin asked, "And how much do I owe you for that?"

"Not a penny," came the prompt reply and another dazzling smile. "You, unfortunately, can't pay. This wasn't mixed for you; it was made for Taniyama-san. _She_ will be the one to pay the price."

Still leery and heartily sick of those smiles, Lin held out his hand for the packet, hoping that he wasn't about to take an illegal substance and give it to Mai. What Naru would say were that the case! When the bespectacled man made no move to hand it over, Lin raised a brow in question. "May I have that?" he asked. "Or do I need to get Taniyama-san and have her retrieve it?"

"Oh, that won't be necessary," Kakei said, smiling pleasantly. "I just wanted compensation for handling, that's all."

Lin's patience with the other man ran out right then. "Compensation for handling, Kakei-san?" Lin said, frowning at him. "You've been standing there admiring me for…" He looked at his watch, "the past seven minutes and counting, and I haven't said a word about it," Lin said, smiling coldly at the stunned expression on Kakei's face. Reaching over, he snatched the packet from the other man. "I think that's compensation enough, don't you?" he asked, turning and leaving the store.

…

"That the other one?"

"Yes. That was the young ghost hunter's protector. Stunning, isn't he?"

"I like you better."

Kakei smiled. "That was a good answer."

"Looks like he's protecting someone else right now, doesn't it?" Saiga said, wrapping his arms around Kakei's shoulders and pressing his lips into the back of his lover's neck.

"That's true," Kakei responded, grasping Saiga's arm and smiling gently. "The story seems to have progressed rapidly and included even more elements. Our young ghost hunter told him to protect Taniyama-san."

"The curse?"

"Countered, for now. Things will get even _more_ interesting when it returns. Her heart is compromised."

"He wasn't happy with you, was he?" Saiga asked, changing the subject.

"No, he wasn't."

"How does it look?"

"If she can put the pieces together, then they may be able to solve this. Unfortunately, they won't be able to stop the curse from completing itself. I'm sure the medicine will have something to do with it—a means to an end, shall we say."

"Yuuko sure can be a sadist."

"I don't think she had anything to do with it. Welcome back," he said, smiling at Kazahaya and Rikou as they entered the shop. "How did it go?"

…

"Kakei-san is harmless, Lin-san," Mai said, laughing.

Lin turned his glare on her and looked pointedly at her apartment door. She took the hint. Still chuckling, she produced her keys and started to undo the locks.

"Taniyama-san! It's good to see you again! It's been ages since we last talked!"

"Hmm?" Pausing, she turned and looked down the hall where the voice had come from. A delighted but tentative smile lit her face at the sight of the two high schoolers. "Watanuki-kun! Doumeki-kun! It _has_ been a while, hasn't it? How have you been?" she asked. Lin looked at them fleetingly and turned his attention back on the box in his hands.

"Busy," the bespectacled boy replied, smiling at Mai. "But you've been the same, haven't you, Taniyama-san?"

"Seems so," she said, finishing unlocking her apartment. "Why don't you two come in for some tea?" Mai invited, opening the door.

"Ah, thank you, why not? I have some time before going to work." He looked over at his companion and growled, "I suppose _you're _coming in, too?"

The other boy looked at him oddly. "Yeah," he replied flatly.

"I knew it!" he cried, turning fully to the other young man. "You're going to start mooching off of Taniyama-san now! Taniyama-san, be careful!"

_Where does she meet such odd people?_ Lin wondered, entering her apartment and putting the box of flowers and candies down on the small breakfast table. He turned back to the door where the taller of the two young men stepped through the door. "I'm coming in," he intoned, removing his shoes and putting them neatly by the door.

The other one followed still bemoaning Mai's fate at being taken advantage of by Doumeki. Lin stared at him. "He's very dramatic," Mai told him. "Ah, Watanuki-kun," she said.

"Huh? Yes?" he said, snapping out of his dramatics and looking at his host.

"Would you mind making the tea while I go change?" she asked gesturing to her school uniform.

"Not at all, Taniyama-san! I'd be happy to! Hmm…" the young man muttered, turning and walking into the kitchen as Mai turned and walked to her room. "What do I make to go with it? Onigiri? What does Taniyama-san have?"

Lin looked at the one called Doumeki. He was as tall as Naru and had all the expressions of a rock. His golden eyes were flat as they watched his companion enter the kitchen and begin to pull out a teapot and four cups. He turned his attention to Lin when he noticed the Chinese man's gaze. Saying nothing, Lin sat down; the young man joined him a few seconds later.

"May I ask how you met Taniyama-san?" he said, with mild curiosity. Mai had certainly never mentioned the stoic young man to him. She had mentioned Watanuki-san once or twice as an overly dramatic neighbor of hers.

"Watanuki introduced us."

"They're neighbors, yes?"

"Yeah," Doumeki said, flatly. "Next-door neighbors."

Hmm. "Is he an orphan as well?"

Doumeki narrowed his eyes at him, as if silently trying to communicate that he would protect Watanuki from him.

The Chinese man rolled his eyes. "Amusing," Lin said. "I'll take that as a yes. I can always ask Taniyama-san later."

"Watanuki won't have any problems ignoring the curse," Doumeki said finally.

"I don't believe I asked that," Lin said, wondering why the young man said anything about it. "I was merely asking how you knew Taniyama-san; she's never mentioned you before."

Doumeki's gaze turned piercing. "It would have come up at some point," the archer said.

"Perhaps." _Not,_ he thought. _I didn't even want to bring that up with those two around. And how did he—no, they both know, obviously. But how? I highly doubt the papers are calling it a curse—we haven't claimed it is—how did he know?_ Mai came out of her room before he could ask. Making her way over to the table, she plopped down next to Lin and began to chat with Doumeki. She didn't seem deterred by the fact that Doumeki talked with a monotone and used that much expression. Watanuki finally exited the kitchen bearing a tray of steaming tea and rice balls. He froze when he got a good look at Lin, however.

_What's this,_ the Chinese man wondered, watching the boy blanch. Mai and Doumeki reached the bespectacled boy just before he managed to drop the tray. He narrowed his eyes at the boy and **looked**. _He's a medium,_ Lin thought stunned. _And from the looks of it, he's as strong as Gene was—without a doubt he's more powerful than Hara-san._ Did Mai's apartment building just call out to psychic people? He looked at his Shiki—they watched Watanuki calmly, but with a thinly veiled amusement. _Of course,_ Lin thought, _he sees them._ A stirring of energy outside caught his attention. He turned to Mai's window and saw other spirits trying to encroach inside. Takigawa-san's wards were the only things holding them at bay and they were starting to deteriorate with the effort to keep all the creatures out. _Get rid of them,_ he thought, sending his third Shiki outside to dispatch of the hungry spirits loitering just at the window's ledge. If they got in, they'd go after Mai, too. That he could at least protect her from.

He turned back to Watanuki and frowned when he caught sight of the other young man's aura. It was blindingly pure. _Well, well. No wonder he's with that boy. How interesting. Noll's correct—Japan __**is**__ a hotbed of psychic and paranormal activities. Now how do I deal with this? Play the dumb, but concerned adult, or be truthful?_ It was uncharacteristic of him, but he decided to be truthful. Lin never _ever_ told strangers about his Shiki; Mai and the others associated with SPR regularly had only just learned about his Shiki—about a year later. But what was the point of saying they didn't exist when they were obviously seen? "They won't hurt you, Watanuki-san."

His voice cut through the miniature chaos happening across from him and drew two sets of bewildered and one set of stunned eyes to him. "Come sit down, all of you." He looked at Watanuki.

"But…but…you have demons swarming around you!"

Lin rolled his eyes. "They're my Shiki, Watanuki-san. And they just saved you. But thanks to your presence, Takigawa-san's wards have greatly weakened. Had they gotten in, I doubt I need to tell you what would have happened. You know the rules, don't you?" he asked, holding Watanuki's eye.

"Lin-san?" Mai asked. What _was_ he talking about? She looked from Watanuki to Lin, trying to read between the lines.

"When one person associated with the supernatural is saved by another of the same, it creates a debt. I see I didn't need to tell you that. You'll pay me back later," the sorcerer said, dismissing the subject. "Sit before you faint."

Taking the tray, Mai put it on the table and sat down next to Lin again.

"How long have you been able to see spirits?" Lin asked, helping himself to one of the cups of tea. He took a sip and stared at it. It was as good as Mai's—maybe better. Did they exchange tea-making tips or something?

"My entire life," the bespectacled boy said resignedly, sitting down across from Mai and taking the cup of proffered tea from her; Doumeki joined them and took another. "But how did you know?" he asked taking a sip of the fragrant green tea.

"I've never had people nearly faint just seeing me."

"I did," Mai volunteered. "You scared the crap out of me when we first met," she said, putting one hand to her heart dramatically.

He turned to her. "I also saved you from being crushed by three bookcases, if you'll recall. And it was your own fault."

"Oh. Right." Her eyes strayed to the flowers and chocolates she'd received today and she frowned thoughtfully; an idea popped into her head. "Watanuki-kun, does your boss like chocolate?"

"She loves it; why do you ask?"

"Why don't you take some to her? I have plenty."

The bespectacled young man nodded. "Sure."

_"You can't pay the price. This was mixed for Taniyama-san; she will be the one to pay the price."_ Kakei-san's words came back to him. In that instant he understood. This wasn't a coincidence—those two showing up; it wasn't a fluke that Doumeki-san knew about the curse, none of it was accidental—they were here to collect payment, pure and simple—Watanuki had to go to _work_, after all. _Well then, let them collect payment and go. _"Your boss made this, did she not, Watanuki-san?" Lin asked, taking the small packet from his pocket.

The bespectacled young man blinked and then looked guilty. "She did; she made it just the other day. Is it for you, Lin-san?"

"You know it's not," he replied. "It's for Taniyama-san." Mai looked at him wide-eyed; he paid her no mind, focusing solely on the medium in front of him. "And the payment can't be too much, can it? Checks and balances. The three bottom boxes of chocolate will be sufficient enough for her. They're the highest quality."

"Who _are_ you?" Watanuki asked, flabbergasted. "Do you know Yuuko-san? How do you know her?"

"You're a terrible actor, Watanuki-san. You shouldn't have lied about your purpose here; it does you no credit. No, I don't know your boss. But I do understand how she works. Any side effects that she may have mentioned?"

Wordlessly, the young medium shook his head.

"I see. Then those three boxes are her payment," Lin said, waving Watanuki over to the chocolates. "You need to go now or you'll be late."

"Lin-san!" Mai said angrily. "You're being rude!"

"Don't forget the chocolate, and thank you for the tea; it's delicious," the sorcerer said, ignoring the girl beside him.

Watanuki stared at Lin dumbly. Lin however, had turned his attention to the wards and was currently calculating the damage done. Sighing, Watanuki turned to Mai and smiled weakly. "Ah, he's right. I _do_ have to go and see what new forms of torture Yuuko-san thought up for me. Knowing her I'll be cleaning out the storage room _again_. Oh the horror—all that _dust_! I swear I just dusted it the other day!" he cried, clutching at his hair. He calmed abruptly and bowed to Mai. "Thank you for your hospitality, Taniyama-san."

Standing, the third-year made his way over to the flowers and chocolates and extracted the three bottom boxes. Making his way to the door, he turned back to Mai and Lin and bowed. "Good day," he said, leaving the small apartment; Doumeki was hot on his trail.

Opening the packet, Lin poured the contents into Mai's teacup and swished the mixture around a few times to mix it.

"Lin-san, that was very rude," Mai said.

"They weren't here to visit," he said shortly, not wanting to rehash it with her. "Watanuki-san was here to collect payment. No more and no less."

Mai looked at the table for a few minutes, thinking about what Lin said. "You're right," she said finally, hating the fact that he was. The reality of the situation was that she and Watanuki-san hadn't even been on talking terms since she started working for Naru. "I knew it was weird that he showed up when he did. He hasn't really talked to me since I started working at SPR. I think he was a bit insulted that I would work for a place that researched psychic phenomena, although why, I had no idea. Now…I think I have a clue as to why; he's in the same boat."

"Did you know he could see spirits?"

She nodded slowly. "I think so. He always had such strong wards in his apartment and recently, Doumeki-kun's never been far from his side. I think I had the inkling that there was something about him." She fell silent and looked at the tea mixture. "Are you sure about this? Do you think whoever made it is trust worthy?"

"Am I sure? Not entirely. Do I think whomever made it is trust worthy? Absolutely. With the principle she goes by, she can't afford to be unscrupulous; her own power would work against her."

Mai pushed the concoction away; she really didn't want to chance it. Even if Lin-san thought it was okay, she had the feeling that it wasn't entirely innocuous. "Can't you just put me to sleep like you did the last time?" she asked plaintively.

"That didn't work then and I don't envision it working now, either. And as I've said, whoever Yuuko-san is, she can't afford to simply harm you out of the blue. Weren't you the one who told me Kakei-san is harmless?" he asked, remembering that the man had asked the mysterious Yuuko-san to make the mixture in return for the High-Moon Urn.

"Yes, but—"

"Then trust him," Lin said abruptly, pushing the tea back to her. "Might I add that you're the one who wants to remember what they've dreamed."

"Do I have to?" she asked, poking at it morosely. She really hated drinking anything that was medicinal. She preferred pills to liquid medicines—usually.

_Thus it begins again._ "Taniyama-san," he said.

"Mai."

He ignored her. "Either drink it yourself or I will resort to other means of getting it down your throat."

She rolled her eyes and poked it again, watching the liquid ripple. Reaching over, Lin picked the cup up.

"This seems to be popular: a person takes a sip of whatever and proceeds to pour it down another person's throat by way of a kiss. Sounds tempting; shall we give it a try?" he asked, bringing it to his lips.

Mai gasped. "What's gotten into you?" she asked, standing. Leaning forward, she snatched the cup from his hand, downed it, shivered at the taste, and marched to her room. Lin heard the door lock.

_What's gotten into me? Obviously __**you**_, he thought, staring at her closed door. Getting up, he went over to the wards and had his Shiki wipe away the degradation. For his part, Lin began to repair the cracks that had begun to appear in the barrier. He winced at the large gouges that the spirits after Watanuki-san had made. That task finished, he went over to the flowers and removed the notes. One by one, he opened and read through them. _I knew it,_ he thought. _There's no variation. Everything's the same—uniform, even. With the number of boys writing these notes, there should be differences. But there aren't. Why?_ Lin wondered, tapping the cards against the table and frowning.

Putting them down, he returned to the coffee table and grabbed the file folder containing the documents he'd asked Mai and John to retrieve from the van. It was actually a single documentation dealing with a spell similar to the one that SPR was currently dealing with. Flipping the file folder open, he began to search for anything that might give him a clue.

Inside her room, Mai changed into her pajamas and crawled into bed with one of her schoolbooks—math specifically. She'd come home to sleep. If anything would tire her out quickly, math was it. She opened the book randomly: logarithms. Her eyes started to droop when she started reading the fourth sentence. It seemed the medicine that she'd been given worked fast. Looking at her clock, she blinked a few times to stabilize her wavering vision—five minutes had passed since she downed the tea. Yawning, she put her book aside and closed her eyes. Her dream started immediately.

She was back at her school, on the roof. The building wasn't inverted and there was no spell-cloud in the sky. The sun was shining and the day was lovely, if a bit crisp. She spotted Naru leaning against one of the railings that was unfenced, looking down at the grounds below.

_Naru._ She was happy to see him, but the blush she normally gained when she did, failed to warm her cheeks. She concluded that she was still angry with him for that last dream sequence. _But that's… not really true,_ she thought to herself.

"Look," he said, pointing up before she could say anything.

Mai tilted her head skywards and gasped. Red-black clumps were floating overhead randomly and combined if they happened to bump into each other. _This… this can't be! They weren't even here when I first entered my dream!_

"It's being recast; there's not much time," Naru said, keeping his back to her.

"Eh?"

He chuckled. The cynical sound sent shivers up her spine. "I wonder… if you'll ever kiss me the way you kissed him," came the wistful comment. He turned and smiled at her; it was the same gentle smile that she'd come to love, but there was something different about it; it was melancholy; the pain packed into that smile stabbed at her heart.

_Why is he so sad?_ she wondered, putting her palm to her breast. "Who?" Mai asked.

He laughed again, but she could hear the bitterness underneath the mirth. _To think he'd get your heart,_ it seemed to say. "Lin, of course."

Her face flamed red and her heart felt like it was running a marathon; it seemed her blushing capabilities had returned. _Kiss him? Kiss the Naru in my dreams? Will he let me remember if I do?_ "I will," she heard herself say.

He stared at her, his face displaying his utter shock and amazement. His blue eyes were wide and round and his mouth was lax with astonishment. When the breeze teased his hair, she wished for a camera. He was beautiful. Her heart began to thump softly. _Naru_, she thought. "On one condition, though," she said.

He frowned, looking like his real-life counterpart. "You have a contingency for a kiss?" he asked.

Mai walked over to his side and leaned against the rebar. Since this was a dream, she didn't have to worry about her uniform getting dirty. "The most important kind," she replied, looking into his eyes. "I want a promise."

"What kind of promise?" Naru asked warily.

"Promise me that you'll let me remember everything."

He edged closer. "That's it?"

She nodded.

"Done," he said, pulling her against him and wrapping his arms around her. "It's time for you to remember. That drug that you got will keep your mind from being muddled anyways."

"What do you mean?" she asked, gripping his upper arms for support as he twirled in an impromptu dance.

"All in good time," he said, tipping his head downwards. "All in good time," he repeated, kissing one eye and then the other. He trailed his lips down to her mouth and brushed her lips. Raising his hands to her face, he cradled it gently and turned it upwards so her eyes met his. "I can't hope to match Lin—but all the same, I'm not too horrible at this, either," he said brushing her mouth again.

"I know. I still remember our first kiss. How long have you known Lin-san?" she asked, genuinely curious.

He looked sad at the mention of their first kiss but smiled at her. "Since I was a child," he said, answering her question. "We've known him all our lives."

_We?_ She didn't get the chance to ask. His lip claimed hers in a gentle but heady kiss. Like with Lin, she wrapped her arms around his neck—this kiss was much better than the first one. One of his legs inched its way between hers, one hand cradled the back of her head, and the other slid under her uniform top and pulled her closer. When his hand trailed down perilously close to her rear, she broke the kiss.

"You go no further than my back," she told him, lifting his hand and placing it back where it originally started.

"I'm sorry," he said, placing his forehead against hers and staring into her eyes.

Mai flushed at the tender, apologetic smile on his face and gentle look in his eyes. "What's so fascinating about my back, anyhow?" she asked.

He laughed. "Not your back—your skin. It's smooth, soft, silky, and you always smell divine. I'm sure it drives even the stoic Lin mad."

"Men," she huffed.

He shrugged. "What can I say?" he asked, nuzzling her cheek and kissing her again. He leaned against the gate and pulled her against him.

She was the spectator this time, thankfully. Since her last dream Mai had decided that she was heartily sick of active participation. Naru held her hand as they watched the two men duel. When the fatal blow to the English-man was struck, she turned away. She knew what became of his soul and had no desire to see it happen. As if her dream understood her wish, the scene faded and was replaced with something new—something much more recent.

She was in a park—Mai recognized it as the park that Masako has requested Naru to investigate back in November. There were two figures sitting on a bench, wearing street clothes. He looked agitated and she looked upset. _They look familiar,_ Mai thought. She blinked in recognition. _Akira-kun? Hotaru-san? What's going on?_ Mai wondered. They didn't look cozy like a couple should, she noted. According to Michiru, when they first started dating, they'd been literally attached at the hip. Now it seemed like they were strangers who'd ended up on the same bench while waiting for their respective party. _What happened to them?_

Hotaru looked at her watch anxiously and sighed. "You said you wanted to talk, Akira. I have a Student Council function to help with soon—this won't take long, will it?"

An irritated look crossed his features. "No, it won't. I'll be blunt," he said.

"Okay."

"I want us to break up."

Whatever Hotaru had been expecting Akira to say, it wasn't that. "_What?_" she asked, stunned.

"I want us to break up," he repeated.

She stared at him, flabbergasted. "_Why_? Is it because of my involvement with the Student Council? Is that it?" she asked. She crossed her arms and glared at him belligerently. "That _is_ it, isn't it?"

"That's part of it, yes," Akira replied evenly. "But I think the biggest reason stems with you. You've changed, Hotaru."

"_I've_ changed?" she asked, pointing to herself. "I have not," she denied. "I'm the same as I've always been."

"You aren't. Ever since you've become involved with the Student Council, it's consumed your life. You have no time for 'us' anymore. I make dates hoping to spend time with you—and if you don't end them early, you cancel them— _if_ you remember to. If you don't, you simply decline to show up. There's no point in being in a relationship if it's only me," he said, ignoring her spluttering protests.

She fell silent and watched him for a moment. "That's not all, is there? What about the rumors that I'm seeing someone else? That has to play a part in this monumentally foolhardy decision of yours."

"Oh, I've heard them. I heard them from Michi-chan, if you must know. I've nixed them," he said. "If you can't remember dates with me, then how would you manage _two_ relationships?"

A stricken look passed over her face. "Maybe I like him better!" she snapped, turning away from him.

Gently, he turned her face back to his. "There is no one else. It's no use trying to pretend there is, either."

"All right, point," she admitted. "But _I've_ heard that there's someone else that _you_ want to ask out. Are the rumors incorrect?"

He stiffened. She smiled like a predator about to pounce on its prey. "They're not wrong. Who is it?" she asked.

He frowned at her but answered, "Taniyama Mai."

Mai gripped Naru's hand tightly and a tear rolled down her cheek.

Hotaru stared at Akira in shock. "_Her_?" she asked, incredulous. When he didn't answer, she began to laugh. "You moron," she gasped out between giggles. "She'll never say yes. She's in love with her boss, who doesn't even know she's alive!"

Tears poured down her cheeks and her grip on Naru's hand became bone crushing. _That's not true, anymore. None of it is, not anymore. I think…more than anyone, that I'm the one who's changed._

"That may very well be true," Akira said, "but if she'll let me, I'll try to erase him from her heart. And even if I don't, at least she'll make the time to spend with me and call me if she can't make our dates."

The mirth that had decorated the junior's face disappeared. "You're serious. You're actually serious."

"I'm very serious, Hotaru. And very sorry that after nearly three years, it's come to this. But this is what it is. Our relationship is gone."

"I'm not convinced," Hotaru said, after a few seconds. "Not one damn bit." She looked at her watch. "I have to go now," she said, standing. "I'll definitely call you later and we'll talk."

"There's nothing to talk about; it's over between us," he said. "Besides, you won't call."

"I'll call you," she repeated, walking away. She stopped and walked back to him, frowning. "How about this. Let's give it a month—if you still feel that way… then that's that. If not, we'll try harder."

"You're not listening," he began.

"I'm trying to think of a solution!" she cried, throwing her hands up to the sky. "Dammit all to hell, Akira, I don't _want_ us to break up!" she sobbed, tears running freely from her eyes. "You're my everything! I'll do whatever it takes to keep you—even quit the Student Council!"

He stood up and looked down at her. "You should have thought about that before you became so involved. I'm telling you now: we're done, and that's it. A month isn't going to change my mind," he said. Taking a few steps back from her, Akira bowed respectfully. "See you in class tomorrow, Yukimura-san."

With that, he walked off. Hotaru sat on the bench woodenly. One tear slipped down her cheek, followed by another. More came after that and she buried her face in her hands as she started to sob.

The scene faded completely. Mai put one hand to her cheek and pulled it away, staring at the translucent tears that clung to her fingers. They were eerily beautiful in the inverted light surrounding them. Her hand dropped back to her side lifelessly. "I was part of the reason?" she asked quietly.

"You weren't," Naru said, gripping her elbows. "You played no part whatsoever. You couldn't help that his feelings for you changed. This has been incredibly difficult for you, but none of it was your fault." He released her. "You know the rest then, don't you?" he asked her.

She nodded slowly; it was all crystal clear in her mind. "I do. I should go back and report it."

"Yeah," he said, nodding. "Be careful, though. I don't know if there are any side effects with that drug you were given."

"Do you know Watanuki-kun's boss?" she asked curiously.

"No," he said darkly. "I stay away from her at all possible costs. And if you ever meet her, Mai, don't let her rope you into _anything_. Anything she gives comes at a price; her prices are just, but at the same time, they're often harmful to the client—in one way or another."

Mai shivered. He smiled at her gently. "That way will take you back," he said pointing to the left.

"Thank you for everything," she said. Smiling at him, she turned and took off.

_Be safe,_ he thought, watching her go. Turning, Gene focused on where he'd last seen Noll…who was still out cold. "Idiot scientist," he muttered, stuffing his hands into his pocket. "I tried to warn you. Our bond isn't totally gone, is it? I was able to contact you—not that you listened, of course; you never do, you stupid prat." Gene yawned suddenly and his eyes drooped. The sleep was pulling at him. _Not yet,_ he snarled. "Wake up Noll! Wake up and put the pieces together before _she_ does! She's not out of the woods yet! Wake up!"

No effect. Noll remained right where he was, oblivious to his calling. Gene sighed, no longer able to resist the pull of the sleep. _Idiot scientist!_

_Of course, he didn't tell me __how **long**__ it would take me to get back,_ Mai thought. She slowed to a walk, wondering if she was still on the path to actually return. _If I'm dreaming, then I should just be able to wake up, right?_ Closing her eyes, she reopened them to the same inverted light she'd been running through. _Then again, maybe not. How do I get back?_ Mai thought, frustrated. _Think, Taniyama,_ she told herself. _What if I go back and ask him to lead me back? …I could, but I've found my way back before, haven't I?_ She thought back to the Ryokuryou High School case—she'd dreamed of a shrine to O-Inari-san—she'd visited the shrine in her dream, before she'd gone there in reality. Naru had shown up and told her that she needed to leave the nurse's office and return to the base; it wasn't safe in the nurse's office: one of the phantom lights that had been sleeping was about to hatch. She'd woken up almost instantly after declaring that she had to warn everyone.

_So __**why**__ am I having such a difficult time?_

"Mai."

She whirled around to find Lin-san watching her. She was back in her apartment, sitting next to Lin-san with a cup of steaming green tea in front of her. It seemed that Watanuki-kun and Doumeki-kun had just left, if the voices in the hall were anything to judge by.

_I don't remember them arguing though…_ she thought, furrowing her brow. _Then again, that medicine must have worked fast indeed._ She looked up at Lin. "Lin-san, what happened? Did I suddenly fall asleep?" she asked, embarrassed. Falling asleep and with guests in her apartment! How unseemly!

"That's right," he said, nodding. "I asked Watanuki-san and Doumeki-san to take their leave just a few minutes ago. That was a short dream. Did you learn anything useful?" he asked.

She bit her lip, pensively; it was strange, but… she couldn't quite remember. Her mind was one big jumble. _Funny, _she thought. _Just a minute ago, my mind was crystal clear._ There was one thing that she recalled clearly. "I was the inadvertent cause of Hotaru-san and Akira-kun breaking up," she told him sheepishly, looking at the table that had withstood time. Her father had crafted this table; he'd always loved to work with his hands, Mai's mother told her once.

"Is that all?"

"I think so. I can't seem to remember anything more," she said, frowning. "I'm sorry, Lin-san."

He sighed. "That's very disappointing."

Mai's eyes widened. Not even Naru had ever said that to her before, despite her dreams being convoluted and sometimes unhelpful until much later in a case. She raised her eyes to his disappointed face and stared at him in shock. Frowning at her, he emptied a packet into her tea and pushed it towards her a bit more.

"Let's give this a try. Kakei-san from the Green Drugstore said it would help."

Clarity flooded her mind when she saw him empty the packet. _Wait a minute! I remember this! It's already happened; I've already taken that stuff,_ she thought, recalling the other method Lin had threatened to try had she not taken the medicine-infused tea on her own. She batted the tea away and surged to her feet, ignoring the green-gold rivulets soaking her rug. "That stuff is still swimming in my system!" she cried, glaring down at the doppelganger angrily. "This is still a dream! The Lin-san _I_ know would _never _say what you just said!"

Smirking at her, Lin climbed to his feet and stalked towards her slowly. Alarmed at the look in his eye, Mai backed away until her back hit the wall; she'd seen that look one too many times. But this look, while exhibiting the same intention that Naru's, Bou-san's, John's and Yasuhara-san's had, was decidedly different. Lin-san's eyes were _clear_—not hazy and unfocused because of the spell. _But this isn't him,_ she thought. _I know it's not. I don't know who or what this is, but it is not Lin-san. This… this is still my dream._ Her eyes widened. _Is this… the spell's doing,_ she wondered, glancing at the dark stain on the rug. _It has to be._

He stopped a few inches from her and his hands shot out and imprisoned her arms before sliding down gently to her wrists and pinning them painfully against the wall; she winced. "Perhaps… you never really knew me," he said, lowering his mouth to hers. She resisted, tilting her head towards the ground and keep her eyes on the carpet. Frowning, he merely pushed slightly on the small of her back, bringing her closer and forcing her to look up. Before Mai could look away, Lin pressed his lips to hers.

This kiss was excruciatingly painful—it wasn't at all like the gentle, passionate one he'd bestowed on her when performing the counter-spell—that one… despite what it could have led to, had made her feel safe… sacred, almost; this one was bruising in its intensity and she felt no pleasure with this kiss; this one, she _didn't_ want. She struggled, trying to get away—she _had_ to get away. But it seemed even dream Lin was still very much stronger than her, despite the fact that this was _her_ dream and she should have had some modicum of control in it. He wrapped one arm around her arms and waist, drawing her closer, and holding her prisoner against his own body. His free hand started to unbutton her blouse.

_No… No!_ He stripped away her blouse, and fingered the maroon-colored, lace-like material of her bra lightly, smiling at her shiver._ Lin-san, you can't!_ she thought, as his lips skipped over the hollow of her throat completely and instead trailed down to her still-covered breasts. Her eyes widened and a small squeak left her mouth—whether fear or pleasure, she didn't know._ This can't be happening!_ Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the clumps begin to fly together at an awesome rate as the spell reformed itself rapidly. _It's back,_ she thought, barely registering her bra dropping to the floor. She looked away from her window to the clock on the wall and her eyes became impossibly wide. It was then that she began to scream.

…

Her blood-curdling shrieks woke him; they would probably wake the dead if she put more effort into it. A minute later found the Chinese man cursing that she'd locked the door. Sharply, he passed his hand over it, muttering a quick word and heard the tell-tale 'click' of the tumblers a second later. Throwing the door open, he immediately went to her side and gripped her shoulders.

"Taniyama-san!" he called, giving her a small shake.

The result wasn't what he'd hoped for. True, her screams died to whimpers, but her struggle with whatever was happening inside her dream continued. He tried again. "Taniyama-san!"

Still nothing happened. _It's like she's being raped inside her own mind._ That thought made him go cold. If that was the case, he _had_ to wake her. "Mai!" he called, giving her shoulders a hard shake.

That did it. Her struggles stopped and her eyes opened slowly. Relieved, Lin released her and sat down at her side; her mattress nearly upsetting his balance as he plopped onto it. When she looked at him, he saw her eyes widen in fear before they cleared when realization dawned.

"Lin-san?" she asked hoarsely, sitting up.

He studied her face. Her expression worried him; it was frightened and guarded all at once. What had she dreamed? Whatever it was, Lin had a feeling that it was bad and that he'd somehow played a role. "That must have been some nightmare," he said at last, hoping to coax her into telling him.

Her expression became even more closed—so much for that idea. "Ah… oh, umm…" She scratched her cheek nervously. "It didn't have anything to do with the case, actually."

"No?"

She shook her head furiously.

_She's lying,_ he thought. 'Then what?"

Biting her lower lip, she glanced out her window before turning her attention to the colorful quilt on her bed.

"Mai?"

"It was a school nightmare," she blurted out finally. "I failed all of my exams."

Lin stared at her. _What kind of fool does she take me for,_ the sorcerer wondered. "And that caused you to start screaming like a hell-hound was after you?"

"Was I?"

"I'm surprised you didn't wake anyone else."

When a timid knock on the door sounded, Mai smiled. "You spoke too soon," she said, attempting to vacate the bed.

"Seems so," Lin said, exiting her room before she could untangle herself from the linens. Opening the door cautiously, he found Watanuki standing there. Spying Lin's Shiki, the boy jumped.

_What I don't need,_ Lin thought, admonishing the demon that was teasing the boy. "May I help you, Watanuki-san?"

"I heard screaming," the bespectacled boy said, glaring at the Shiki, then Lin, and then back at the Shiki again. "Is she all right?"

_Leave the boy alone._ "She's just fine; it seems she had an exam-related nightmare." _I don't think he'll fall for that, either._ He was in for a surprise, however.

Watanuki shuddered. "Say no more. I understand all too well."

Either high school had gotten harder, or the kids had gotten dumber. _Then again, I went to high school in Hong Kong; I really don't know much about the school systems here in Japan._ And he'd never bothered asking Mai about her studies, either. Still, Mai had lied to him—her nightmare was _not_ exam-related—"I'm sorry?" Lin asked, coming back from his introspective thoughts.

"I asked if you wanted me to make tea for you two," Watanuki said, looking miffed and grudging.

"Unnecessary, but thank you all the same."

"I see… well…" The young man took a deep breath and blurted out, "Will you tell her I'm sorry?"

"No," Lin replied bluntly. "When you work up the courage, you may apologize yourself for deceiving her."

"I thought you'd say that. I worry about her, you know? I saw the article in the paper about the house in Suwa. I'm sure you all were there. So I'll leave this as-is and when I work up the courage, I'll apologize. But Lin-san, if I may ask, aren't _you_ lying to her, too? You're not Japanese—in fact, you hate the Japanese people. You're really from China."

Lin frowned. "Your boss knows more about me than I find comfortable. Am I deceiving her? No; Taniyama-san knows all that. And surely your boss told you I'm from Hong Kong."

"She doesn't know you live in England, though, does she?"

"I'm not necessarily keeping that a secret. She need only ask if she's curious about me and my origins. What brings this about, Watanuki-san?" he asked.

Watanuki narrowed his eyes at the Chinese man. "I don't trust you. I think you've been lying to her, too. What's your real purpose here—with her?"

"Trust is something that needs to be earned, Watanuki-san, so you're right not to. My purpose right now is to protect Mai as best as I can from this spell."

"But—"

"Watanuki-san, I'm glad you care enough about Mai to ask me questions; I really am. Perhaps next time you visit, you'll do so as a friend. A time for everything and for everything its place."

"What… do you mean?" he asked, puzzled by the spell-like intonation.

Lin opened the door wider, revealing a confused Mai.

"Watanuki-san?" she asked.

"Taniyama-san," he said, smiling at her gently. "I'm sorry to intrude at such a late hour. I heard you scream, however, and I was concerned for your well-being."

"Ah," she said, her puzzlement evaporating just a tad. "Thank you for your concern, Watanuki-san. I'm just fine, though."

"Taniyama-san…would you care for some tea?"

"Another time, perhaps?"

"Ah, sure," he said, smiling. "Taniyama-san…why don't you and your co-workers join my friends and me for a picnic next Sunday?"

"That sounds like a nice idea," she responded carefully. "I'll let you know."

"Please do."

"Goodnight, Watanuki-san. Sorry I woke you. Lin-san, I… suppose…I need to recount my dream?"

Lin nodded. Bidding Watanuki a good night, he solemnly shut the door, leaving Watanuki in the darkened hall alone. _That didn't go as bad as I thought it would. I'm glad I took Yuuko-san's advice this time,_ he thought, thinking back to the odd conversation in her kitchen as he cooked her breakfast food for dinner. Really, his boss was so spoiled!

"Humpty-Dumpty sat on a wall," Yuuko intoned, downing a dish of sake and pouring herself another.

"What?" Watanuki said, looking up from the skillet where eggs cooked sunny-side up. Why did she want eggs for dinner?

"You know the rhyme, don't you?" she asked, looking at him.

He turned back to the stove and looked at the hash browns frying in the other pan. "Of course I do!" he snapped. "'Humpty-Dumpty sat on a wall. Humpty-Dumpty had a great fall. And all the kings horses and all the kings men, couldn't put Humpty together again.' It's a rhyme about a wall falling," he told her smugly.

"Indeed," the Time-Space witch said, taking a drag from her ornate pipe. "But I told you once before that people wanted to pass on warnings about things that were too fantastic to believe. So in order to get their message across, they made up fairy tales and nursery rhymes. But it can work both ways. Normal warnings can be passed on in this manner as well."

"I guess," Watanuki said grudgingly, removing the eggs from the skillet and onto a plate.

"Do you trust Doumeki-kun?" she asked, seemingly out of the blue.

The young medium's eyes widened. "What the hell kind of question is that?" he screeched, brandishing the oil-coated spatula at her threateningly.

"An important one," she replied, blowing smoke into his face. "Do you trust Doumeki-kun?"

He waved it away furiously. "I do," he said hesitantly.

"How much?"

Watanuki frowned, watching her down another glass of sake.

She looked at him seriously, waiting for his answer.

"With my life," he said finally.

Yuuko's final words on the subject echoed in his mind. _"Trust, Watanuki, isn't easily given—those who do are fools. Proper trust should be earned. It's one of the most potent bonds and also one of the most fragile. If it's broken, trust takes a long time to heal and sometimes, Watanuki-kun, it never does. You wished to know about the man protecting your friend, Taniyama-san. I have granted your wish. Be careful, however, what you do with that knowledge."_

The bespectacled senior smiled bitterly. "I still don't trust you," he said, turning away from the closed door. "Honestly, I think you guys are kooks. But Taniyama-san believes in you all. So I'll trust her—and her instincts. Please don't let me down," Watanuki said, walking to his door. Perhaps next Sunday he'd have worked up enough courage to apologize to her for his behavior towards her since she'd started her job.

Inside her apartment, Mai sat on the loveseat rigidly; Lin joined her a moment later. He frowned when he saw her staring at the clock on her wall with a pensive frown on her face. Turning from the clock, she sighed and brought her knees up to her chest, looking dejected.

"That stuff worked fast and knocked you out for a while. Were you able to dream?" Lin asked.

At her flinch, he frowned. She glanced at him and looked away, studiously avoiding his gaze. "Yes," she said. "And I'm sorry to disappoint you, but it wasn't anything new."

"Disappoint me?" he asked bewildered, growing more puzzled when some of the tension left her body. "Why would I be disappointed? Do you remember what you dreamed?"

She stiffened again at his question. "I do," she said, drawing her knees closer to her chest. "That stuff from the Green Drugstore kept my mind from being muddled," she said, glancing back at the clock.

_Why does she keep looking at the clock?_ Lin wondered. "Mai," he said.

She didn't look at him. Frowning, the Chinese man moved so that he was in her line of vision and she couldn't look at anything but him. "Why do you continue to stare at the clock? What's going to happen?"

Tears welled up in her eyes and began to travel down her cheeks. The urge to lean over and kiss away her tears hit him viciously. He found himself _wanting_ to feel her petite body beneath his again; her lips would be warm and inviting just as they'd been earlier—would her body be the same, he wondered. He blinked. _What am I thinking? Where did any of that come from?_ He gripped the cushion, trying to get the sudden onslaught of lust under control. _Case, think about the case, not your wants. Clock_, he thought, digging his fingers into the cushion, _she keeps looking at the clock. Why? _His eyes widened in realization. Whipping his head around, he looked at the cheerful, cat-shaped timepiece.

_Impossible! It hasn't even been twenty-four hours! The counter-curse was performed at eleven o'clock in the morning. Since then, it's been nearly fourteen-hours. It __**shouldn't**__ have come back this quickly!_ He turned back to Mai who watched him with glistening eyes. _She knew. Dammit, she __**dreamed**__ it._ "You dreamt this," he whispered, furious with her. "You silly girl, you should have said so sooner. Why, Mai? Why didn't you tell me the truth?"

Tears started to run down her cheeks. "I'm sorry," she sobbed. "This is all my fault! I should have told you immediately—but I couldn't. I just couldn't!" She raised one hand to wipe away her tears; Lin grabbed her wrist and dragged her closer. Her eyes widened and she looked up at him.

"What did I do?" he ground out.

"What?"

"In your dream—what did I do?" He shouldn't touch her; it was dangerous to do so. Who knew what might happen? He battled the vicious urge to pull her even closer and kiss every inch of her as he slid the pajamas off her body. Slowly—it would have to be slowly so he could plant a kiss just as her skin was revealed. "Answer me," he said softly, releasing her wrist and ignoring his thoughts.

"My fifth kiss—you stole it. But it wasn't you!" she said fiercely.

He smiled grimly. "Your confidence in me is astounding. But I'm afraid that if I can't rebuild my shield it will come to naught." He moved over to the sofa-bed that he'd been using and looked at the remainder of his barrier. It was in tatters, literally. His lips compressed into a thin line. The counter-spell was to blame. _And myself. I should have forseen that this could happen and recast it right after. I erred on the side of self-confidence and arrogance._ Ignoring Mai who was trying to get his attention, he looked at his Shiki. _Shall we?_

They huddled together as if contemplating what he wanted. He paid the brunette across from him no mind when she called his name again. Finally, his first and longest held Shiki turned to him. _We think not. _

_Unacceptable. I would rather not take power from you_, Lin told them._ But if it comes to that…_

_Never stopped you before,_ said his fifth and most recent.

_Which 'take' do you refer to? From us you take all the time_, commented his fourth.

_Perhaps you refer to the young human in your arms?_ asked his third and middle.

Lin was rudely shattered from a meeting that was fast going downhill when a pair of lips pressed against his. Clarity flooded his mind.

_We concur,_ the other four echoed, dispersing.

_What the…_ He blinked, trying to comprehend what was happening. It all came together eventually. Lin eased away and grabbed Mai's arms from around his neck. "Taniyama-san, what are you doing?" he asked carefully.

"I've been trying to get your attention."

"I'm sorry if ignoring you was upsetting, but I was trying to rebuild my shield."

"But didn't you relinquish that and more for the counter-curse?"

"I can recast it, if you'll give me some time."

"But it's not affecting you anymore. It hasn't been for a while now. I've been watching. Don't you understand?" she asked. She went on, not waiting for his answer. "If you were going to steal a kiss, you already would have—you'd have done it when the spell first hit you again." She dismissed the 'he already did,' thought that floated across her mind. _That wasn't him,_ she thought fiercely. "That's how it works. Naru, Bou-san, and John had no chance; the spell completely overwhelmed them and you could see it in their eyes. You've been fighting it."

_She's correct—you never __**did**__ think to ask her what she saw and experienced after they stole her kisses,_ commented his fifth Shiki.

_Enough!_ Lin snarled.

_You can't handle it? _asked his second._ Or don't you want to admit if only to yourself how entranced you've become? Since which case has it been? _

"Lin-san?"

He looked down at her, trying to ignore his Shiki.

"Does it help if I give you permission, or something?" she asked, unsure if the spell had something to do with it.

That word—that one tiny word hung in the air for a split second before sweeping through him. All and any barriers shattered; she was completely free for the taking—literally. _Stupid girl. Do you have any idea what you've just done? There's nothing I can't do to you now._ Lin groaned and dropped his head. "Foolish girl," he said, lowering her down to the mattress. "You have no idea how badly I want you right now. You don't have a clue what you've just done, do you? I could do anything to you—there'd be nothing to stop me." He looked her in the eye. "Should I make you beg for me to prove my point?" he asked. He frowned when she continued to stare at him. "Has working for SPR taught you nothing?"

"Lin-san?" she asked, when he pressed her back into the mattress.

"You gave permission. You didn't say anything specific about what I _couldn't_ do. What's to stop me?"

"You," she said. "I know you. You're not the type to take advantage. Besides, that's not how you'd want to end this case. I'm not worried," she said, cradling his face. "I trust you completely."

_How…humbling,_ he thought, chastised.

_How the mighty have fallen!_ crowed his fourth Shiki.

_That is more than enough. Away with you five._ Leaning down, Lin kissed her gently. _Put your arms around me,_ he thought, slipping one hand underneath her top and settling it on her back. As if she'd heard his request, her arms settled around his neck, bringing him closer and she sighed. Taking advantage, he initiated her tongue into a slow dance with his. He pulled back a few seconds later.

"You shouldn't trust me," he said, pressing a kiss to her palm.

She frowned at him. "Lin-san, if you were going to do anything worse, you'd have already done it. You wouldn't be where you are, arguing with me about whether or not you're affected by the curse."

"And where am I?" he asked.

Mai rolled her eyes. "A fine time for you to get cryptic. I'm beginning to wonder if you and Naru aren't related."

"We most certainly aren't," Lin replied. "I'd disown myself if we were."

She laughed. Lin took the opportunity to kiss her again. She sighed. Tearing himself away from her mouth, Lin started to work his way down her throat; his deft fingers easily opened the first two buttons of her pajama top. He drew back immediately when she began to struggle.

"Mai?" he asked. _She didn't struggle earlier._

Her hand was holding her top closed; she looked sad and miserable.

_I knew it,_ he thought. "What happened, Mai? What did I do?"

"I already told you," she said.

"Something more than a stolen kiss happened to cause that reaction. Tell me—tell me so I can put it to rest."

Reluctantly, Mai recounted what had happened after her initial dream.

"I see," Lin said quietly. _Damn medicine—I knew there was a side effect of some sort! It probably furthered the spell, too. That's just peachy._

"But it wasn't you."

Lin propped his chin on his hand and watched her closely. "What makes you so sure?"

Mai frowned. "Because for some reason that I can't fathom, you seem to like my throat," she said, gripping the fabric she was holding. "You were…fascinated by it when we performed the counter-spell and at the Green Drugstore, it's also the spot you chose to use when you wanted to wake me up. In my dream, I thought I'd woken up because I was sitting right next to you. When I told you what I dreamed, you commented on how disappointing I was and tried to give me that awful stuff again. When I heard that, I knew it wasn't you—just a… I don't know, impersonation—because you've _never, ever_ said anything about being disappointed about my dreams, and you've had plenty of opportunity."

Lin was silent. "True," he said finally.

"And my throat?" she asked.

"What about it?"

"What's your interest in it?"

"Oh, that? A little bird told me my doppelganger in your dream neglected it. I should rectify that," he commented, grasping her hand. She didn't let go immediately. "Mai, let me bury it; it was a horrible nightmare. I would never force you to do anything. You said you trusted me completely, earlier. Are you rescinding that?"

_That's right,_ she thought. _I do trust him._ Her hand loosened and went lax. Gently, Lin drew it away and watched the fabric part, revealing her throat. Threading their fingers together, Lin leaned over and kissed her tenderly. Tears immediately sprang to her eyes. She gripped his hand when his lips began to work their way down until they reached the hollow of her throat. Slowly, teasingly, Lin refreshed his handiwork. He drew back before it led to more; it was tempting, oh, so very tempting to simply keep going; he attributed _that_ to the spell and chose to ignore its little pushes and prods. He settled for simply watching her as she tried to gain her breath back. Finally, her eyes opened and focused on him. The glazed look in her chocolate-colored eyes pleased him to no end.

"What?" she asked, when her breathing finally calmed down.

"That's a good question," he replied.

Mai frowned. This was not the time for him to get cryptic again; she didn't think her nerves could take it. "I don't understand," she told him.

"Nor do I."

Then she realized. _Poor Lin-san,_ she thought. _This must be unfamiliar ground for him._ "This," she said, "You're talking about this… you and I," she clarified.

"Us… yes, us," he said, when it seemed that she was going to argue the title. "But then, what of the others? There's Naru to consider—as well as Yasuhara-san and Akira-san; they care for you deeply. Takigawa-san and Matsuzaki-san see you as family; I would venture to say that Brown-san views you the same way—"

"And Masako sees me as a rival for Naru's affections," Mai finished. "Where do you fit in to that list?"

Lin went silent and looked at the wall across from him, contemplating her question. Just where was his place now? A year ago, he'd have said with certainty that they were simply associates—she was someone he had to work with based on Noll's odd sense of compassion. Now… he certainly couldn't be defined as a simple co-worker or even a friend.

"I wonder how it happened," he said finally, looking down at her. "When did it change? There's no way to group me with Takigawa-san and Matsuzaki-san. There isn't a category for just associates, either. I suppose…in light of recent developments that you'd have to group me with Naru."

"You can forget Akira-kun," Mai said darkly. "Naru, too—that one doesn't know I'm alive."

"You're wrong," Lin told her. "He very much knows. You saw his reaction earlier. He knows very well that you're alive; he just realized his feelings a little too late. But enough of that. This debate could go on all night. Personally, I'd rather it didn't—would you?"

"No," she said thoughtfully.

"Then… let me show you something different."

…

Naru woke and wished he hadn't. A terrible pain seared through his head and he winced, deciding to wait until it died down before he tried to move. The pain didn't go away precisely; it settled to a merciless, dull, throbbing like a beginning drummer who'd just started learning how to play the percussion instrument. Sitting up slowly, he winced again. The back of his neck felt like it was on fire. Grimacing, he reached a hand back and began to massage the screaming muscles. Standing, he wandered over to the light switch and turned it on. Florescent light flooded the room, chasing away the shadows to the very corners of the room. Twisting his neck to and fro, he tried to work out the kinks, wincing as the sounds of creaks and cracks reached his ears. He noticed morbidly that the light did not extend to outside the room, where the night hours ruled.

He abruptly shook himself from his musings and returned to the couch, noticing a strange imprint in the cushion he'd been slouched against. When he looked closer he realized it was his hand; it had been permanently engraved in the old, battered leather.

_Huh. I'm surprised it didn't tear,_ he thought, sitting down. _There aren't many things that can boast about being well-made and durable._ Fingering the scarred cushion, he smiled bitterly as the memories from the couch flickered feebly through his mind. He blocked them—no need to see them a second or third time around; once was quite enough. _So that's it then,_ he thought sardonically. _I've lost._

_I thought you said you were done moping?_

"Gene?" he asked, looking around the room, hoping to see something.

He received no answer, however. Passing it off as an after-effect of blacking out, Naru shook his head. "Stop your wool-gathering," he commanded himself harshly. He flinched a bit at how frozen his voice sounded in the empty room. _What's done is done; it can't be undone._

Picking up the folder once again, he began to analyze the data it contained. This time, it was easy to focus; he found himself infinitely grateful that Yasuhara, John, and Takigawa-san had done such thorough research. Adding that to what Lin had supplied, Naru was able to draw conclusions to answer his questions. _We know it's a curse and according to everything Lin was able to pull up in his research, it needs seven kisses to complete itself. Mai said that when it does, rape awaits the intended victim._ Naru frowned as he began to put the puzzle pieces together. _This started mild—candy and flowers, gifts from school boys with crushes. Then it progressed to Mai getting chased to the office. _Here he stopped and examined the two seemingly unrelated events. _Maybe they aren't as unconnected as we originally thought. They almost seem like bait_, he thought, thinking back to that day when he'd walked into the office to find a very subdued Mai and mint tea._ Once Mai told us about her plight, I immediately jumped to solve this—especially because Lin believed we had a case and I trust his instincts. Events smoothed out once I told Mai that we were accepting her case. I thought the spell had stagnated and Lin agreed. At the time it was the only plausible explanation._

Naru surged to his feet and began to pace as his mind pursued an entirely different track. _But some spells are insidious; admittedly, I don't know much about magic, but I do know that much. The curse at Ryokuryou High School was one such example. On the outside it looked like a simple Kodoku. But in reality… it was a murder-curse. Isn't this the same thing? Surface-wise, it's a simple lust spell or a love spell gone awry. Behind the façade however, is a curse that upon completion causes the victim to end up raped and forever traumatized. There's no way to forget something like that. Even the best therapists in the world can't make a person fail to remember being raped. Isn't it especially bad if the victim in question is a virgin? _

He stopped in front of the window and looked out at the shadow-drenched school grounds. _Why did the spell stagnate in the first place? _Here he paused and wondered. _Stagnated? Who said it actually __**did**__? Maybe it was set up to make us think it did. Whoever or whatever set this trap must have known where Mai worked and what type of work she did. It must also have known that somehow, word of what was happening would reach our ears at some point._ Naru cradled his chin in his fingers and frowned at the dull illumination that the lamp gave off; it hardly did any good fending off the shadows. _A random news article on the radio on the way back to the hotel,_ he thought, ticking off the events on his fingers._ Mai telling us, or she could have told Bou-san or John what was happening; had she done that, they would have informed Lin and myself or encouraged her to tell me. Mai's friends could have informed me… a number of things could have happened to bring this to our attention. And that was the entire point,_ he realized. _Of course it was! They just wanted to get us involved! _All it took was a push—Mai getting chased to the office.

_Yes, now that I think about it that makes sense. It was staged to get us there and once we were, the curse was really set into motion. It started with me stealing a kiss. Why, though? Why begin with me?_ And then he had his answer._ Because that was the most shock. The person that held Mai's heart __**stole**__ her first kiss; it was not given, but taken. My stolen kiss galvanized the next shock: someone who acts like an older brother stealing the second kiss—Bou-san, obviously. Having Lin guard her from me and the other boys and men was a big joke. Nothing more serious than a stolen kiss was meant to happen—and it was __**us**__ he needed to guard her from—little too late to realize that now. But… why did I __**want**__ to kiss her again if it wasn't supposed to be? Bou-san, John, and Yasuhara-san didn't seem to experience the same want…at least, not to the extent that I did. _

He filed that away for another time. It wasn't relevant to the current case. _The next shock was someone she called a good friend stealing the third kiss—John. The fourth was another friend that wasn't supposed to have anything but platonic feelings taking another kiss. That equals four. Wait,_ he thought, _Yasuhara-san stole two kisses, Lin said. So two more left. Where do they come from? Hara-san and Matsuzaki-san? No… if that was meant to happen, then it would have. Could the last two come from one of us again? _ No, that wasn't right. His gut instinct told him that their parts were done in this curse. _Lin? Possibly. All the better that he performed the counter-curse then,_ came the disgruntled admission that would never be spoken out loud to anyone. _One of her many "admirers?" No. If they were meant to have a part in this elaborate game, then they would._

As suddenly as the solution came to him, he wondered why he hadn't pieced this all together before. _Her dreams. Of course—dreams are a reality in their own right._ _I don't know how to stop her from dreaming and I doubt there's a way to prevent it. But… who did they plan on doing the actual deed when the curse is complete? Me?_ That thought made his blood run cold. Gut instinct, however, told him otherwise. _No, it's not me. _ He started to pace again as he ran through a list of possible people and just as quickly dismissed them; it wasn't them… and it wasn't any one associated with SPR; that part…he'd figure it out in a second. There was something else bothering him: Mai's ardent admirer, her friend Michiru's elder brother.

The crush Akira had on Mai didn't bother him. Well, admittedly that _did_ annoy him some. What really didn't make sense was why he was unaffected by the entire spell. Not one attempt to do anything to Mai, but it was blatantly obvious that he felt a great deal for the second-year. _Why is he unaffected by all this? He should have had the first kiss…_ Naru blinked. _Scratch that. He should have stolen a kiss instead of remaining unaffected. Why is he the only unaffected person? _His eyes widened as a terrible thought surfaced. _Because he's the one, isn't he? He's the one the spell will overwhelm. He already has feelings for Mai; he doesn't like me or anyone else male associated with her, either—if his attitude towards us is anything to judge by. And he's persistent, despite the fact that Mai's been trying to ignore him. Didn't Michiru-san comment that her brother had been acting oddly as of late? She did,_ he recalled, his mind returning to the first day of the case when Akira had blatantly admitted that he'd asked Mai out in hopes of her becoming his girlfriend.

_So now my only question is who's behind this. That's an obvious answer if everything I know so far is true. It would have to be Akira's former girlfriend, Yukimura Hotaru-san. I can't see one of the girls in her school that is currently dating a guy being the responsible party. _Naru cursed himself for being a blind fool. _Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned- William Congreve,_ he told himself. _Something so simple—I should have seen it earlier! But this curse was designed so that I wouldn't. Mother always said that the best place to hide something is in plain sight. I bet, however, that Lin performing a counter-curse was unexpected. Had things gone as smoothly as planned—well, no need to get into that again. The problem now isn't defeating the curse. This is one curse that we can't stop—unless Mai stays awake. That's impossible, so I won't even contemplate it. _

_But it doesn't make sense,_ Naru thought, pacing again. _Yukimura-san's been coming around to visit Mai quite a lot lately. Lin didn't sense anything odd about her and neither did Hara-san. Mai hasn't dreamed anything associated with her that we know of, so where did she get the power to bring about such an insidious curse? …Hara-san hasn't sensed anything odd about Yukimura-san. But she __**has**__ sensed a ghost walking around. Cameras didn't pick anything up—what if Yukimura-san is a willing host? Can a ghost even do something like this?_

Broken from his train of thought with what he thought might be an answer, he rushed back to the couch to grab his cell phone from the table. Pressing two buttons, he held the phone to his ear and waited impatiently. It seemed to take an eternity, but Lin finally picked up.

"Lin," he said, wasting no time with formalities or returning the questioning salutation that the Chinese man uttered upon answering his phone. "Is a ghost capable of casting a curse such as this?"

…

_Omake:_ Just for you, Ginny!

_Protect me. That idiot._ Slowly, she approached him and he watched her warily. She'd already slapped him once with a sweet look on her face—he had no desire for an encore performance—especially with Lin in the room.

Mai put her hands on his cheeks and smiled at him gently. "Naru… you can't protect someone by keeping them in the dark. All the same…" Her hand inched its way back and she slapped him across the face—hard.

He stared at her in disbelief. "What was that for?" he asked.

"You dyed my teddy bear pink! How could you? Why don't you just ask your parents to mail you yours?"

…

**A/N:** I'll say it for you all so you don't review saying it: **ZOMG! Naru apologized! Are you high on something, Kyia-san?**

No, no I'm not. Yes, he did apologize. It seems unlikely, but Naru's always struck me as someone who—if they knew they were absolutely, without a doubt wrong—would apologize for their actions. So… he did. And I'm not changing it. You all will have to live with a slightly more human Naru.

Sorry this took so long. I had hoped to finish it last month, but as you all can obviously see, that didn't happen. Next chapter hopefully won't take so long, but I'm not promising anything. School just started and it takes me a while to write something to where I'm happy with it. Rarely do I send Titian chapters I'm not completely satisfied with, do I Titian?

If anyone's curious, here's how the writing process for me works: write the chapter out on paper; type written parts; print out what's typed whether or not it's complete and revise; make corrections on master copy and continue both writing and typing; copy/paste final chapter and print out for revision again; make corrections and send to Tish to be ripped to pieces; correct the mistakes Tish finds and post chapter.

It's a long process. Not one chapter of _Shades of Lust_ is composed solely on the computer. This is why it takes me a while to update. So now you guys know.

Hope you all enjoyed! And once again, happy (belated) birthday, MX!

I'll see everyone in chapter ten: "The middle of the middle and the end of end." Are you a _Harry Potter_ fan? Surely you recognize the quote then…assuming I've gotten it correct. We're almost at the end. Chapter ten will wrap just about everything up and chapter eleven the epilogue will be the very end. I will also take the chance to address any questions that people have—assuming that chapter ten doesn't answer them. Yes, this includes the 'who will Mai end up with,' question. Some of you already know. Please don't tell anyone. I'd like it to be a surprise. Thank you for your cooperation.

Later!

Kyia Star


	10. Middle of the Middle and End of the End

**Chapter ten: The middle of middle and end of the end.**

**A/N:** One down, one more piece to go. This is the last full chapter of_ Shades of Lust_. All that's left is the epilogue. Thanks to **thisissong** on LiveJounal for her idea. XD You'll see what I mean. I hadn't even thought of it until she mentioned it. But thanks to her idea, this chapter turned out much better than I anticipated. And a very, very, large thanks to **kagedreams**, also on LiveJournal for allowing me to bounce ideas to her for this chapter—especially when I was floundering badly and lost perspective. I had elaborate plans for this chapter and they're not happening; it's painful to remind yourself that elaborate plans don't always have to be and they can lead to pitfalls and traps. Pride goeth before a fall, as they say.

Bows deeply Thank you, to my wonderful beta-reader, **TitianWren** and please congratulate her on her wonderful sense of humor! This chapter is not only dedicated to **KageDreams**, but to all my readers, both on LiveJournal and Fanfiction Network. Thank you for all your support and making me and this story a favorite.

**Disclaimer:** Seriously, haven't you people caught on yet?

Sunday, day eight, early in the morning…

"Of course. So long as the knowledge and power is there," the Chinese man answered, swallowing a yawn and giving his head a small shake. Looking down at the bed to a sleeping Mai, he moved towards the bathroom. "Why are you calling so late, Naru?"

"I think Yukimura Hotaru is a willing host. A ghost could feed off her energy to cast this spell, right?"

Instant energy and they both knew that. "Why in the world are you calling so late?"

"Here's the problem," Naru said. Lin felt himself grow frustrated. _Damn that boy—he's ignoring me!_

"The curse can't be stopped; it's too far along."

That brought Lin to attention.

"It's also a bit too late—but really, we needed you to protect her from _us_."

"This spell has done a number on this group," Lin admitted. "Back to what you said about not being able to sop the curse."

"It's too far along. Two more kisses and it's done."

"One," Lin said quietly.

"One?" Naru repeated. "Mai's dream, right?" he asked, before Lin could explain.

"Yes, a doppelganger, it seems."

"Whose?"

Lin stayed silent and Naru frowned ferociously. "Yours," Naru said quietly.

"If it aimed to get all of us, it succeeded," the Chinese man said quietly. "If we can't stop, what do you propose?"

Before Naru answered that he asked, "Did the principal ever bring any information regarding the "'ghost scare'" that happened before Mai got to the school?"

"No, he didn't. But one of Mai's friends might know—specifically, the older brother of said friend."

"Which one?"

"Keiko-san. Mai asked her as well, when Keiko-san delivered her homework to her."

"When was this?" Naru asked.

"After Brown-san asked to be excused from the case. What do you think the correlation between the two is?" Lin asked.

"I don't know," Naru admitted. "But… my gut instinct says there is one. Until we know the story, we won't know."

"So how do you plan on getting Yukimura-san to a place where we can exorcize the ghost?" Lin asked. Getting rid of the ghost, after all, was the only option since they couldn't stop the curse—completing it, or allowing it to complete and trying to stop the consequences was not an option.

"Wake Mai. Tell her to call Keiko-san and ask her get in touch with her elder brother."

Lin blinked. _Idiotic, workaholic scientist!_ "Naru, do you know what time it is?" Lin asked mildly.

Blinking, the young president of SPR looked around until he found the clock. He frowned when he realized the time. "Wake her around seven or eight and ask her then," he conceded grudgingly. "If at all possible, I want to talk with Keiko-san's older brother. I want to hear the story before going forward. Call me the minute there's news." That said, Naru hung up and started to plan.

_The curse is too far along to stop—so my main focus now is ending everything with minimal damage to Mai. __If we can't stop the curse, then we need to get rid of the cause of the curse. That's the ghost possessing Yukimura-san._ He picked up the packet that Yasuhara had given him when he researched the area where Mai's school was and flipped through it with a thoughtful frown. _There was a fishing village here at one point—and I think that's what Mai's been dreaming about. The ghost was either a native to the fishing village, or lived and died there._ He continued to flip through the packet and frowned when he didn't see anything more detailed pertaining to the village. _That's Yasuhara-san's next project,_ he decided._ I want to know everything he can find; there have to be records somewhere,_ he thought, sitting back down on the couch. _I'll have John do the exorcism itself. As soon as the ghost is out of Yukimura-san's body, I'll let Bou-san take over. I'm sure he won't say 'no' to the chance. I'll leave it up to Bou-san if he wants to ask Matsuzaki-san for help or not. _Picking up the phone again, he dialed quickly. He doubted that Madoka would be asleep right now—there was a day's difference at least between England and Japan. The phone was answered on the second ring.

"Hello?" Madoka's frighteningly cheerful voice floated over the phone.

"Madoka," he said, not returning the greeting.

"Noll! How wonderful to hear from you! You're certainly calling me very early over there, aren't you? You should be asleep," she said, her tone lightly chiding.

"I'm not, however. Can we get back to business?"

"Oh, you and business."

"Madoka!"

"Yes?"

He sighed. "I need a therapist from SPR, preferably one that speaks Japanese. We need to exorcize a ghost from a student at Mai's school."

"_Mai_?" she asked, surprised. "What have you gotten yourself into, Oliver?"

Sighing, he leaned back and began to tell her about the case they'd been involved in.

"Poor Mai," she said when he finished. "I'd love to oblige you with your request, but we don't have any therapists that do speak Japanese available, right now."

Naru felt a frown tug viciously at his mouth.

"Why don't you contact Father Toujo and ask him?" Madoka suggested.

That… was actually a good idea. Father Toujo would understand, Naru was sure. And he was certain the older priest wouldn't mind helping them out.

"I'll do that, thank you," he said. "I'll send you my report soon."

"Wait a moment," she said.

He resisted the urge to sigh. "What?"

"Anything new?"

"No," he answered. That said, he hung up, not wanting to engage in a conversation that would ultimately lead him to the desire to bash his head into the wall. He caressed his throat unconsciously and wondered when would be a good time to call Father Toujo.

**Day eight, later in the morning…**

Late Sunday morning found Mai nervously sitting in a café, waiting for her friend Keiko and Masahiro, Keiko's older brother. Luck was on their side: Masahiro was on vacation thanks to spring break at the university; he was back in town with his family. Mai was sitting in between Lin and Bou-san and growing more agitated with every passing second. Every time a guy passing by looked into the window, she received jeers, catcalls, and points. A few men even came in to speak with her, only to have Naru, Lin, or Bou-san (or all three in some cases) send them packing into the biting rain. The café's manager had long since given up telling the people outside to go away and there were no curtains or blinds on the windows to obscure people from seeing inside.

She had no idea why Naru decided to meet at a restaurant instead of her apartment or, better yet, at the base room where they had all their equipment. The weather was anything but pleasant: cold, slicing rain had started to pour down last night and hadn't let up. Meteorologists were predicting that this storm would last until late Sunday night, early Monday morning at best. _Either way,_ she thought miserably, _it's nasty out. Why did he absolutely insist on meeting us here?_ She wanted to ask, but the stony expression in his eyes shot through her mustered-up courage. It was odd, but Mai couldn't help but notice that while Naru was sitting next to Lin, as he always did, with his nose buried in his ever-present file folder, his body was angled _away_ from the Chinese man—making it look like he'd just sat next to Lin because there was nowhere else to sit; the second-year high school student wondered if Naru was still upset with Lin. Mai also noticed that his right hand strayed to his throat periodically and brushed against the black material covering it. She glanced up at Lin-san to see if he'd noticed; by the perplexed frown that decorated his face every time he looked over at his young boss, Mai assumed that he had.

As his hand rose to his throat again, a thought struck her. _He reminds me of myself, right now. Lin-san's favorite area is my throat and I usually have a hard time restraining myself from just touching it. But why…_

The bell above the door jingled, startling her from her thoughts. Briefly, the bustling of the people outside floated to the interior, before the door canceled the noise again. Mai looked up, hoping to see Ayako and John, or Keiko and Masahiro. Everyone else with the exception of Masako had already assembled; Yasuhara-san was sitting to Bou-san's left. Her thoughts turned oddly towards Masako—the only member of their group who wouldn't be able to join them due to a recording of her show. Apparently, the producer in all his infinite wisdom thought that now during the rain would be a perfect time to film the latest show. Mai felt sorry for the young medium to have to film in this weather. Surely drama wasn't worth the cold that Masako would catch. _How do I know she's going to catch a cold? She probably won't; it'll ruin her perfect image if she did._ Instinct, however, was telling her that she would.

To Mai's immense disappointment, a young couple had walked in out of the rain. Mai felt nauseous at the hungry look the man sent her way when he spied her. She knew it wasn't his fault, but that didn't quell her rising fear; she gripped her hands tightly. Bou-san sent the man a look that said 'get lost.' The man responded with a look that was a challenge—'make me,' it said. By now, he was completely ignoring his date, who was trying to reclaim his attention so the hostess could show them to a table. Said girl poked her head around her date to see what had caught his attention.

Upon seeing Mai, she aimed a poisonous look at the second-year. Mai felt the blood drain from her face at the glare and she shrank back against the upholstered booth seat. Still glaring, the young woman grabbed her date's arm and hauled him away, stalking after the nervously smiling hostess. Takigawa glared after the young couple. He felt the seat cushion shift as she sat back up and composed herself. Turning to Mai, he sent her a look of sympathy and understanding, with an undercurrent of fire—silently conveying to her that it wasn't her fault. Smiling sweetly at Bou-san in thanks, Mai folded her hands in her lap and looked out the large front windows resolutely, ignoring the jeers from the men huddled at the window outside. The hostess sent her a sympathetic look before returning to her post.

Mai gave her a grateful smile and tried her best to look serene and confident. Unfortunately, Mai's façade only fooled those not in her immediate space. Those sitting with her weren't fooled in the least. Her face was pale; in her lap, her hands trembled violently, and fine tremors jerked her petite frame. Bou-san and Yasuhara looked on helplessly, wanting to help, but not sure if they could or should. Yasuhara couldn't even find any thing to say that would distract her—the atmosphere at the table was tense and poisonous; it certainly wasn't conducive for a conversation. Comfort, however, came from an unexpected source. One of Lin's hands reached out and settled over hers; she felt his long, tapered fingers curl gently around her trembling hands and just sit there. Mai felt herself freeze for a second and then begin to relax; his hand was warm and comforting. She felt her trembling cease and welcomed the unruffled serenity that Lin always seemed to radiate. Mai felt the beginnings of a real smile tug at her lips.

"Thank you," she said quietly.

Giving her hands a gentle squeeze, he released her and looked at the door when he heard the bell chime again. He watched Matsuzaki-san breeze in, followed by Brown-san, who stopped and waited, holding the door. With breathless 'thank-yous' two teens bustled in from the rain. Stripping off their slickers, they hung them on the coat rack that was sitting on a lone piece of carpeting to catch the water. Mai smiled at Keiko and waved. Returning the grin, Keiko approached the table with her brother following.

"Mai-chan!" Keiko said enthusiastically. "Next time you want to meet at a café, make sure it's not raining."

"I'll do my best," Mai replied, grinning.

Keiko turned to Naru and Lin. "Shibuya-sempai, Lin-san—it's good to see you both again."

Lin nodded to her; Naru didn't acknowledge her at all. Mai sighed. Where was Madoka when Naru needed to be scolded for his bad manners?

"Sempai?" Bou-san asked, looking at Keiko curiously. To Mai, the expression fairly screamed 'blackmail material wanted!'

"Shibuya-sempai was supposed to transfer to our school," Keiko responded, seemingly unaware of Bou-san's thirsty look.

"Is that so?" Takigawa asked, aiming a sly smile at the young ghost hunter, who ignored him in favor of his file folder.

"For some reason though, he never did."

"Imagine that," the monk said, sympathetically.

"But when I asked Mai, she told me that he was only there to investigate the old building, not transfer to our school."

Bou-san dropped his head in defeat. _Dammit,_ he thought. _I honestly thought I had something there! Mai, why, __**why**__, couldn't you have kept that to yourself?_

"You must be Keiko-san's older brother," Naru said, ignoring the monk and focusing on the older boy who stood behind his sister and pantomimed her chatting with Mai. His resemblance to Keiko-san was startling.

Dropping his hands, the college student grinned. "That's me, Kanaguchi Masahiro," he said, bowing. "Pleased to meet you."

Naru merely watched him, not bowing back. If Masahiro was unnerved by this, he didn't show it. Turning to Mai, he smiled warmly at her. "It's been a while," Masahiro said, claiming the seat directly across from her and grinning cheekily at his sister's complaint.

"That's true, it has. Two years, nearly. You don't even call!" she complained good naturedly.

"That's what our mother says, too," Keiko said, huffing and taking the seat next him. She propped her chin in her palms and smiled at her friend across the table.

"Really?" Mai asked, sounding scandalized.

"Really."

"For shame," Mai responded, covering her mouth daintily to hide her mock dismay.

"I know," Keiko replied nodding sagely.

"She must be heart-broken that her son doesn't call."

"She cries nearly every day," Keiko replied, wiping away a false tear.

"What is this, pick-on-Masahiro-day?" said boy griped, looking between his sister and Mai.

"Yes!" the two high school girls said in unison, sharing a smile and giggles.

_Normalcy,_ Bou-san thought, smiling at their antics. _Poor Mai—how long will it take for her to have this return? Whatever am I thinking? This will over-shadow her for the rest of high school._

"May I take your orders?" their waitress asked, snapping Takigawa from his introspective thoughts.

"Sure," the monk replied. "Iced coffee, extra large, please."

"You're a robot," Ayako said. "Iced coffee when it's cold out. Café au lait, please."

"What was that?" the bassist challenged.

"Humph. You heard me," she said, looking in the other direction.

"Why you!"

"A pot of black tea," Naru said, ignoring the fighting pair.

"Could I trouble you for a caramel cappuccino?" John asked. "Ah! Matsuzaki-san! It's bad luck to throw salt!" he cried, reaching out to take the salt shaker from the priestess before she could chuck it at the monk sitting next to him. Knowing her aim, it would hit either Lin-san or Shibuya-san, instead of Takigawa-san. Worst case scenario, it would hit Mai—which would upset everyone.

"Mai and I will take parfaits and melon sodas," Keiko said, looking at Mai—who nodded in acceptance of her choice.

"Honestly, your idea of diet food sucks," Masahiro teased. "I'll have an ice-cream float. Melon soda and chocolate ice cream."

"That sounds good," Yasuhara said cheerfully, ignoring the fighting. "I'll have the same—ah, but I'll take strawberry sorbet instead of ice cream."

The fight between the monk, priest, and priestess grew louder and the waitress glanced over at them involuntarily; so did more than a few customers.

"Don't mind them," Mai told the waitress, motioning to the priestess and monk. "They do this all the time. It's only once ever escalated to blood."

She paled at Mai's words. "I'll be back with your orders momentarily," she stuttered, giving the sophomore a weak smile. She looked over at Lin, who watched the fight dispassionately with just a hint of annoyance and then looked at her order pad. Eight orders and nine people. "Ah, sir, I don't think I got your order. Sir?" she called, when Lin didn't pay her any mind.

Lin glanced over at the waitress. "Iced mocha latte," he said, turning his gaze back to the fighting couple.

The table went strangely quiet all of the sudden and all eyes turned to the tall man. Smiling again, the waitress jotted the last of the orders down and beat a hasty retreat. _I knew I should have called in sick, today,_ she thought fleetingly as she glanced back at the table before entering into the relative sanity of the kitchen to place the orders.

"Iced latte? Mocha?" Takigawa asked, stunned. "I've never even seen you drink the tea that Mai makes."

"Of course not. I usually stay in my office and _work_."

If Takigawa picked up on the snub, he didn't capitalize on it; it was, Lin supposed, one thing to start a fight with the priestess and another to start a fight with him. The monk owed him way too much as it was. Lin still hadn't forgiven him for that stunt last week.

"Mai?" Takigawa asked turning to the part-time worker.

She shrugged. "The cup is usually empty when I collect it. The tea has to go somewhere."

"Any plants in his office…ouch! What was that for?" he asked, rounding on the miko.

"For being stupid! You don't pour hot tea onto living plants! What is wrong with you?"

"Stop hitting my head!"

"Then show your brain some consideration and _use_ it."

"You—"

_There they go again,_ Mai thought, acknowledging the waitress with a smile of thanks as she set down her order, _quibbling like little children. They should just admit that they like each other and get it out of their system. Why isn't Naru saying anything to them?_ She saw John look at Lin beseechingly when Naru continued to ignore the fighting pair.

Lin spared one look at Naru before turning back to the monk and priestess. "Children," he said, picking up his latte and taking a small sip—it wasn't half bad; he was sure that Mai could make him a better one. "If you would bring your argument to a moratorium? Time is not on our side and we have much to do."

The bickering pair sobered immediately. Worse than Naru's scathing comments, which they expected, was the normally silent and austere sorcerer calling them 'children.'

"You're right," Ayako said.

"Yeah, sorry, Lin-san."

"Ah, Shibuya-san, when I talked to Mai, she told me you had some questions for me?" Masahiro inquired politely, looking over at the dark-haired young man, who by his estimate couldn't be much younger than himself. _He acts like a crotchety old man, _Masahiro thought. _Kei-chan said Mai's in love with her boss. Why? What does she see in him? _

Naru closed his file folder with a snap and Masahiro surfaced from his private musings. "Kanaguchi-san, your sister said that you went to the same high school that she and Mai currently attend, correct?"

"That's right," the college student replied, nodding.

"You wouldn't by any chance recall anything about a 'ghost scare' in the mid-to-late '90's, would you? I'm given to understand that you aren't necessarily interested in ghost stories, but—"

"That doesn't mean I didn't pay attention," Masahiro said, shooting Keiko a stern look.

Naru's eyes narrowed. _Why the glare,_ he wondered.

"Listen Shibuya-san, I'm not fond of sitting in a dark room and telling ghost stories. That's for kids or girls," he said flatly, ignoring the murderous looks from Mai and his sister. "All that aside, it didn't mean that I didn't pay attention to what happened in the school proper."

Naru looked at him for a long, silent moment. "Tell me about it, then."

"1998," Masahiro said, picking up his spoon and scooping out ice cream. "That was the year." He popped the spoon into his mouth, savoring the chocolate and melon. "I was a second-year at the time. That year, they expanded the main classroom building and upgraded it. The second classroom building was going to be torn down, you see—unsafe conditions, if I recall.

"But it was the reasoning behind the main building's construction and the second building's deconstruction. Tearing the second building down made students and teachers happy. Even before the student was injured that building wasn't well loved. Students, including myself, thought it was creepy, and from what I heard the teachers say in passing, it gave them a feeling of unease."

When he paused, Naru took the opportunity to voice a question. "That's all very interesting, but what does that have to do with the ghost scare?" _Not one of those stories ever indicated something like what he's talking about._

Masahiro gave him a droll look. "Do I really have to answer that, Shibuya-san? Aren't you a detective of sorts? Surely you know the answer to that one. The scare proper started when the building was sentenced for demolition."

At Naru's glare, Masahiro burst out laughing. "Mai-chan wasn't kidding—you _are_ scary when you've been insulted. Get over yourself; it _was_ a stupid question."

_This kid,_ Lin thought incredulously, _has guts. To stand up to Naru like that is something I've never seen before from people within and around his age group. One glare from him and Matsuzaki-san and Takigawa-san start running for the hills!_ A surreptitious glance around the table confirmed that he wasn't the only person dumbfounded by Mai's friend.

"Anyhow, back to what I was saying. It was mild, at first. Kids would go into an empty classroom to neck and would quit the room not five minutes later claiming they saw a ghost. I'm sure you all can imagine just how quickly the fact that we apparently had a specter traveled around the school. A few teachers had their own experiences. But like I said," the college student commented, scooping out more ice-cream and eating it, "silly stuff, mild, could be true, could be false.

"You could say, however, that the real "'ghost scare'" story starts when the demolition on the second building began."

"I've heard and researched all the stories," Naru said finally, crossing his arms and watching him with an unreadable look. He was growing sick of this. "I don't need to hear them again. They don't pertain to this."

"Did you come across the story about a student being possessed and another being raped?" Masahiro asked with mild curiosity.

The look on Naru's face said it all. Mai's brow furrowed and she looked across the table at Keiko. Neither of them had any idea what he was talking about.

"Bet you didn't," the college student replied with a maddening look of superiority. "I'm not surprised. The school pretended that it didn't happen. Even the papers don't have any records. The school paper was forbidden to write about it—but that's when the scare got its official start. And it began when a popular couple in school brought their relationship to a moratorium."

"They broke up," Lin said, resisting the urge to roll his eyes at the younger man copying him.

Masahiro nodded.

"Do you know their names?" Naru asked. Mai could just see the wheels turning in his head.

"Takeo Shino and Tachibana Mayura. The third person involved was Otomiya Kaede."

"Third person," Naru echoed, looking at Mai briefly before turning back to the college student. Oh, yes, Mai could _definitely_ see the wheels turning in his head. And indeed they were.

"Is there something I should know, Shibuya-san?" Masahiro asked when Naru didn't expand upon his cryptic mimicking.

"You were saying?" Naru asked, ignoring the question.

"Ouch," Masahiro said with a small chuckle. "Stories travel, but this one didn't. I told you there were no records, but it goes further than that," he began, taking a sip of his soda. "Three teachers were fired for contacting outside papers and magazines and talking to them. The magazines and papers were forbidden by courts to print anything they'd heard from the former employees."

"Are you saying the school buried it?" Bou-san demanded.

The college student nodded grimly. "That's exactly what I'm saying. The Board of Director's decided to do it. The principal at the time was fired, as was the vice-principal."

"But the families—" Ayako began.

"They agreed with the Board of Directors. Especially Otomiya-sempai's. Otomiya Kaede was one of the top students in the school—she scored a perfect score on the SATs. She had scholarships from colleges all over the globe lined up upon her graduation—full scholarships including dormitory, books, and residency; all she had to do was pick which college she wanted to attend in whichever country. Her parents wouldn't have to dole out one single yen to pay for her college education—she was that smart. Which was good, because her family might not have been able to afford sending her to college; they could barely afford high school and were too proud to accept any form of charity or ask the main family for help. If word had gotten out that she'd been raped by a boy, under a curse no less, do you think those schools would have been willing to accept her? They wouldn't," Masahiro said, answering his question for them. "She knew the opportunity would go to someone else less deserving if the entire incident wasn't buried. Since her parents were adamant that she attend college right after graduating, she agreed to allow everything to be swept under the rug."

Looks passed between the priestess, monk, and exorcist.

_That would explain why the principal really had no clue about this._ "Back to the past," Naru said. "You were telling us about a relationship ending and a ghost scare beginning."

Masahiro looked at his half-eaten float, frowning. "It started with the break up. Otomiya-sempai took a summer job at an Onsen Resort somewhere in Hokkaido. Takeo-sempai and his family went there for their family vacation. You can piece together the rest, right? I mean, Shoujo mangas tell this story all the time.

"Nothing happened for a while—then, all the sudden, he broke things off with Tachibana. Rumors stated that Takeo had been in a relationship with Otomiya ever since summer holiday. If that's true, then they kept it well hidden. But Takeo said the reason he was breaking up with Tachibana was because _she_ was having a relationship with someone as well. That rumor turned out to be founded. Tachibana Mayura was seeing a young doctor that she'd met a few years ago, when she started volunteering at a hospital. The spell started about a week or so after they broke up. We boys had the compulsion to "'woo'" Otomiya, to put it lightly. That damned spell, if that's what it was, nearly caused Megumi and I to break up," the college student said bitterly. "Anyhow, you know how it ends, right?"

The monk looked thoughtful for a second and then said, "What about the ghost scare—how did this tie in with everything? Was Tachibana-san possessed?"

Masahiro blinked; Naru paid special attention to how closed his expression became when Bou-san asked that question. "I don't… well, that's what Otomiya-sempai claimed," he said resignedly. "I don't know if it was true or not."

_Liar,_ Naru thought. _He knows much more than he's saying._

Mai spoke up before he could say anything. "There's more isn't there?" she asked suddenly.

For just an instant, Lin was certain that Keiko's brother lost all color in his face.

"What're you talking about?" Masahiro asked, gruffly. "That's all there is."

Mai shook her head. "You're lying," she told him, her voice utterly certain. "Something more happened to Otomiya-san."

Naru frowned. _Finally. She's trusting her instincts. And if Mai says there's more to this, then there is._ "Is there more to it?" he asked.

"If I say 'no,' will you believe me?" Masahiro asked with resignation.

"Not a bit," Bou-san said, crossing his arms. "If Mai-chan says there's more, then there is."

"Agreed," Ayako said.

"Ditto," Yasuhara replied. He hadn't forgotten that her intuition and dreams made it possible for Shibuya-san to figure out what was happening at his school. He also hadn't forgotten their case prior to this one: thanks to Taniyama-san's dreams, they were able to find Hara-san when she'd disappeared.

"Out with it," Keiko said, glaring at her brother.

Masahiro shook his head and stared at Mai wonderingly. "How you do that, I'll never know. Yes," he said, addressing the group, his expression bleak, "there's more. And it's not very pleasant." His lips twisted in a grotesque parody of a wry smile. "You might say that when this happened it was somewhat fortuitous for all involved. I told you that it was some time before all this happened, right? It was just before they all graduated."

"Why was that good?" Lin asked, a sneaking suspicion forming in his mind.

"Because Otomiya-sempai's parents didn't have to pull her out of school. You've guessed, haven't you?" he asked, looking over at Lin. "If you're thinking what I think you are, then you're right; she was pregnant."

Ayako and Keiko gasped. Mai covered her gaping mouth, stared at him in horror, and shrank back into the booth, removing her hands from her mouth to cover her entire face as tears streamed down her cheeks. Bou-san turned and pulled her into a comforting hug. He stroked her hair while she tried valiantly to stop the tears. Looking at her blotchy, tear-stained face, he felt a wave of brotherly affection well up and wondered how he could have ever seen her as anything other than a little sister. Helpless, Bou-san wrapped his arms around her and waited.

"And?" Lin asked.

"She kept the baby," Masahiro said, opaquely. "Takeo-sempai has no clue," he continued. "He's at the same university I am—we even share a few classes. He doesn't even remember raping her. That's a blessing, I suppose. Otomiya-sempai is somewhere on the East Coast in America, still attending college. The kid is here with her parents. As for Tachibana-sempai, well… she's okay as of now. The exorcism was a success, but when the ghost vacated her, she was claustrophobic, agoraphobic, and prone to massive panic attacks. She was in a mental facility for about seven months before her parents checked her out." He shrugged. "She's at school in Germany, last time I checked. But the funniest thing is… that she and Otomiya are great friends, again. They haven't been this close since they were kids."

"Did they know each other as children?" John asked.

"They grew up together; they're cousins. Until high school, they were best friends. They drifted apart when they started high school proper and no one knows why. Not even me," he said, looking at Naru.

Ayako's eyes widened. "Cousins?"

"The Tachibana family is the main family and Otomiya is simply a branch of them. Ironic, right?" he asked, smirking.

Naru turned back to Masahiro and said, "One question."

"Shoot."

"Was Takeo-san affected by the curse at all?"

"Not that I recall. If anything, he's the one who looked at the rest of us like we were morons. His opinion of what was happening was that Otomiya and Tachibana were either A) trying to rattle him, or B) trying to get back at him for something," Masahiro said, ticking the two items off on his fingers. "Takeo thought of option A first because when this occurred it was around the time of the American Halloween. But as time went on, he leaned more towards option B—he thought that Tachibana-sempai was trying to get back at him for breaking up with her. Otomiya-sempai also swore up and down that she had no part in the events happening."

"Masahiro-kun," Mai said, piping up.

"What's up?" he asked, looking at her curiously.

She looked unsure for a moment before blurting out, "Did you ever see the ghost before the spell started?"

Masahiro frowned at her, looking surprised. "Me? As in, with my own two eyes?"

Mai nodded.

"Why are you asking?"

She shrugged. "Just wondering, is all."

Masahiro dragged a hand through his light brown hair in frustration and peered at her. "Answer swap," he told her, his hazel eyes becoming mischievous. "You show me your cards and I'll show you mine."

"You first."

"You know, that's not how it usually works," he told Mai. When she didn't answer or rise to the bait, he sighed in defeat. "All right, I suppose you have your reasons. I only saw her once, mind you," he told her, drumming his fingers nervously and frowning again as he organized his memories. Smiling a little, he began to recite the tale. "It was one of the rare days that Megumi and I didn't have club meetings. I suggested we go to a movie after school and then dinner afterwards. I do love snuggling with her in the dark," he told them, a foolish grin lighting his face. Unbeknownst to him, Keiko rolled her eyes at that.

He stared off at the far wall and clasped his hands together as the smile faded from his face. "That day, the weather just wasn't on our side; kind of like today, actually. It was stormy and nasty, a full-blown thunderstorm complete with a power-outage occurred before school let out." He shrugged. "Unable to go anywhere, and unable to stand outside and wait for the storm to pass, Megumi dragged me to an empty classroom." Here he turned red and looked at the Formica table. "High school, you know? We did what high school couples did— er… necking and… stuff. Umm…" he trailed off, ignoring the monk's cheeky grin and the exorcist's understanding look—which disturbed him far greater than the monk's grin.

"Anyhow, I'm still not really sure… one minute Megumi and I were kissing, the next… there's a weird person in strange clothing standing in front of and watching us. But she was…" he gestured vaguely, as if trying to trace or convey his thoughts through pantomiming, "transparent," he said, finally. "Not very tall… five feet, five inches—I thought. Brown hair, hung loose; bare-threaded yukata; her eyes were brown and gold—they were exotic and pretty and very, very cold, like she was disappointed constantly, you know?" he asked. He turned to Mai. "Your turn. Spill."

"Mai?" Naru asked.

"She's the one who cast the curse in the first place," Mai told him promptly, glad that she could remember her dreams.

"Do you know why?"

She winced. "I…maybe. This is speculative, but… I think she wanted out of the fishing village…out of a poor life that was nothing but work from dawn till dusk. Rags to riches." She fell silent looking pensive.

"What?" Lin asked.

"From what my dreams told me, I'm fairly certain that the original victim of the curse upset her somehow and it was cast for punishment. But I also think that she used that same spell to draw the man she was after to her bed."

"Did it work?" Naru asked.

Mai nodded.

"But there's one thing that doesn't make sense."

"What's that?"

"She married the English man, but at some point in time, she took a lover who killed her husband in a duel—his ghost is trapped in the basement at the school."

_'Is someone trapped?'_ Her words floated back to them; things were starting to make sense.

"What I don't get," she said, "is why he broke the spell in the first place. I mean, he flat out refused to help her make it stronger, telling her what goes around comes around— but he went even further by breaking the curse completely."

"Maybe she wasn't the original caster?" John asked.

Mai shook her head. "It was her all right. I watched her build it."

Keiko and Masahiro stared at her. Naru watched her thoughtfully. "Describe it," he told her.

The high school sophomore frowned in concentration and thought back. "She did it under a full moon on the beach. She had a mirror in her hand and as she chanted, she thought of him—she created his face in the mirror. I… can't repeat the words… but I can tell you that he was the main focus of her chanting. After the spell was cast, there was an odd wind that flowed through the village and the cloud I've been seeing settled over the house." She spread her hands in supplication. "That's all I can tell you."

Naru frowed and looked at Lin, who looked thoughtful. "She might have created the spell." A sneaking suspicion formed in his mind and he looked at Masahiro. "Kanaguchi-san, when this happened in your high school years, were there notes, flowers, and chocolates involved?"

"Umm…flowers, yes. Notes… not that I recall. Chocolate, no, it was well known that both Tachibana-sempai and Otomiya-sempai were allergic to chocolate."

"What did Otomiya-san receive in place of chocolate?"

"Stuffed animals and other treats."

"It changes, then?" Yasuhara asked, catching on.

Naru nodded. "Seems that way."

"Mai," Lin said, "tell me how the spell was originally broken."

She looked surprised and uncomfortable. "She approached him."

"She… the original victim?"

The sophomore nodded. "She approached the woman's lover. I think… the woman's husband was already dead at this point. She… offered herself in payment."

"What does that mean?" Keiko asked, bewildered. As soon as she said it, however, she stared at Mai in utter shock.

Mai nodded at her friend. "She offered him her virginity, saying that his people did place an emphasis on virginity."

_"I thought you were going to suggest—"_

_"That's a permanent, one-time-only solution. Don't ever go that route unless you have no other choice."_

_"That's what __**she**__ did."_

_"She, who?" _

Lin frowned as he remembered before the counter-curse. _'That's what she did,'_ he mused. _And the witch's lover placed an emphasis… probably not just on virginity itself, but maybe the power in it?_ "He might have been a practitioner of the old Celtic ways," he mused out loud.

"But I thought that…well… stories of a maiden's virginity and the power of it were just legends," John said.

"I don't know," Lin admitted. "I know very little about the old Celtic festivals and holidays. But I've always been under the impression that it's for the land that the festivals were held, more so than the people. But… it wouldn't be the first time that someone read something and misunderstood it, would it?" he asked, looking at John.

"No, it wouldn't. A little bit of knowledge can make people dangerous," the priest said sadly.

"Mai…what's going on? You… dreamed all that?" Masahiro asked tentatively.

"I'll explain later," she said tersely.

"Now," Masahiro replied, crossing his arms.

"Next Saturday," Mai said, shaking her head. "You'll still be in town, right? Megumi-oneesan is coming as well, isn't she? We're going to join a neighbor of mine for a picnic next Saturday afternoon after class is out. I'll tell you everything then, I promise."

_We are?_ Naru thought. _Since when?_ He looked at Lin and noticed practically the same reaction.

Masahiro searched her face and then looked over at Keiko. She watched Mai for a moment before nodding. "We're going to hold you to that, Mai-chan."

"I understand," she said, nodding. "Thank you for indulging me in my procrastination. In the meantime, you can't tell _anyone_ about this, not a single soul."

"No problem," Masahiro said.

"Keiko, I want your solemn vow that you won't even tell Michiru."

"Not even her?"

"Keiko!"

"All right, all right. I swear it."

"Pinky swear," she said, extending her pinky-finger.

Keiko looked at her warily but Mai's determined expression didn't change. Sighing, Masahiro reached out and entwined his own pinky finger with hers and shook their hands for a moment before letting go. He looked at his sister expectantly. She sighed and copied her brother. "Now you have to cut off your finger if you tell anybody," Mai told her friends cheerfully. "Because that's what a pinky swear means."

_She's been working with us for too long,_ Lin thought, amused as Keiko paled at Mai's words.

"You said an exorcism was performed?" Bou-san asked Masahiro, watching him seriously.

The young man nodded. "Of course. Why?"

"Do you recall the name of the temple or the priest that did the exorcism?"

"I don't know what temple. But I thought the monk's name was Hikei— Sato… something like that. Why?"

"Thanks," Bou-san said, catching Naru's eye and receiving a nod in return.

"Well? What now?" Ayako asked, looking over at Naru.

Naru frowned. "We go back to the base and start preparing. Mai," he said, turning to the part-time worker.

"Hmm?"

"Where did she get her magic from?"

"Why's that important?" Masahiro asked, his brow crinkling in confusion.

"Her mother," Mai answered promptly. "Her mother was a healer in the village until she got sick from one of her patients and died."

Naru nodded. "Yasuhara-san," he called, turning to the bespectacled boy.

"Yes, sir. I did print that out—it's at home. It's a folk legend, however."

The young president ignored that statement. "Matsuzaki-san, please give Yasuhara-san a ride to his house so he can retrieve those documents. We'll see you both back at the base."

Before Naru could say any more, Keiko shot to her feet, grabbed Mai's hand and hauled her up and away from the table; two of Lin's Shiki, with the orders that she come to no harm from **anyone**, trailed off after.

"Mai, come with me to the bathroom!" Keiko said, grinning.

"Keiko!" Masahiro called after her, "for heaven's sake you're nearly sixteen! You don't need someone to hold your hand while you go potty, do you?"

Stopping, the young woman turned and marched back to her brother, Mai in tow. Frowning at her older sibling, she lashed out with her foot and hit him square in the shin. "Stuff a sock in it," she said, smiling sweetly. Turning again, she headed in the direction of the bathroom, seeming oblivious to her brother's complaints. "You're a rigorous Kendo trainer," she called back. "Get over it."

"Keiko!" Mai said, truly scandalized.

"What? Someone else you want me to kick?"

"Now that you mention it—" the door swung shut behind them just before Mai got to finish that statement.

"Vicious," Bou-san commented, awe-struck. "She looks like such a sweet child, too."

"She has a violent streak, all right. But it's worse than I realized," Masahiro said, still rubbing his shin. "So what now, Shibuya-san?"

"Thank you for your help, Kanaguchi-san. I appreciate your willingness to talk to us in person. S.P.R. will reimburse you for any trouble." He reached for the bill that the waitress had just brought by. "We'll meet back at the base and go from there."

_Dismissed, eh?_ Masahiro thought, eyeing Naru thoughtfully. _I think not. There's no way in the seven hells I'm going to just __**leave**__. You're not getting your way this time, kid._ "Humph." He crossed his arms over his chest and looked at Naru from beneath his lashes. "It's Akira, right? He's the one that's not affected by the curse this time, isn't he?"

Naru froze.

"I thought so. I'm really not surprised. So how can I help?"

"You already have by telling us what we needed to know. We'll take care of the rest."

The other boy's eyes narrowed. "Try not to joke," he said. "You suck at it." Quick as lightning, Masahiro reached out, wrapped his fingers around Naru's wrist, and pinned the younger man's hand to the table. Lin surged to his feet, ready to step in should he need to.

Naru coldly looked at the hand that held his wrist prisoner and then at the owner of the hand. "Let go," his said, his voice deadly and precise.

Leisurely, the college student unfolded himself from the booth and rose to his feet, keeping Naru's hand prisoner with his own. "Don't dismiss me so easily. Unlike Akira and Michiru, Mai really _is_ like a little sister to me. Our family met her just after they moved to the neighborhood—that would have been right after her father passed away."

"I said 'let go,'" Naru repeated, despite his interest piquing about that.

"Like hell," Masahiro responded, putting more pressure on the hand beneath his. He was sorely disappointed when the dark-haired boy didn't flinch. "I told you to get over yourself. I'm on vacation anyhow. I have a right to do as I please with that time. So deal with having one or two more people. You don't have to worry about me with the curse, or whatever it is; I'm engaged, remember? Besides, in case you're curious, the only urge I feel is the one telling me to bash your face in. It's tempting, let me tell you." Reaching with his other hand, Masahiro snagged the bill. "I don't like Akira much," he said, changing the subject. "And he doesn't like me. He'll be less apt to try something with me around. Certainly you haven't been successful in running him off. In for a penny, right? Surely you can deal with one or two more people."

"You're not affected at all?" Naru asked, a suspicion forming in his mind—after all, married men were affected and Gavin-san was affected, too.

"I'm engaged," Masahiro said patiently with an undercurrent of condescension.

"Gavin-san, a friend of Bou-san's is also engaged. He moved from Scotland to Japan because he loves his fiancée so much. That didn't lend him any protection from the curse. I'm sure some of the men outside are either engaged or married and look at how they're behaving. The only way you could be unaffected is if you stole a kiss," Naru said, looking him in the eye.

Masahiro looked guilty and quickly averted his eyes, confirming Naru's comment. "How did you figure that out? Even Megumi doesn't know."

"Your age and educational status doesn't mean you're smarter than me. I'm very certain that if you and I engaged in a battle of wits, you would lose hands down," Naru said, with maddening superiority.

_An, 'I'm-smarter-than-you' would have sufficed just as well,_ Lin thought, rolling his eyes. He wondered again why Naru never retained the lessons in manners his parents and Madoka tried to teach him when he remembered everything else with startling clarity.

"Which kiss did you steal and why you?" the ghost hunter queried.

"Third kiss. Otomiya-sempai was interested in learning Kendo, but not in joining the club—I was teaching her on the side."

"As grateful as I am that you want to help, Kanaguchi-san, there is nothing you can do. We're not even going to include Akira-san in this because he's not necessary. If you wish to go to his house and make sure that he doesn't leave it tonight or try to contact Mai, then don't let me stop you. As for getting rid of the curse, I told you we'll take care of it—we're the only ones who can. Unless you can perform an exorcism that you learned in your Kendo club?" When Masahiro frowned and shook his head, Naru said, "Then I'm afraid the rest is up to us. You're welcome to come back to the base and spend time with Mai, if you wish, but the reality is, we don't need your help."

They all stared at Naru in shock. He was actually _allowing_ people to come to the base room if they wanted to spend time with Mai? _Is he possessed,_ Ayako wondered, sharing a wide-eyed glance with the others at their table.

With a quick twist and jerk of his wrist, Naru freed himself from the shocked boy. "And I wouldn't recommend trying to bash my face in, were I you." Grabbing up his coat, he threw it on and made his way to the door.

Incredulously, John, Yasuhara, Bou-san, and Ayako followed, leaving Lin and a crestfallen Masahiro to wait for Mai and her school friend.

"So what's **your** story?" Masahiro said, perking up and turning to Lin.

"Pardon?" Lin asked, looking at the college student. _Was I ever that young and belligerent?_ he wondered, not liking the over-protective expression on the young man's face. _Sadly, I think I was._ At one point he'd been the same, especially with his baby sisters. _Come to think of it, I'm still that way,_ he thought, a bit disheartened._ Last time I visited my family in London, Ru had brought the boy she was seeing to the gathering. I told him that if I heard of him hurting her, he'd find himself somewhere far, far away from the mortal world. _Ru-Ming had slapped him upside the head, but her mouth had twitched in amusement. At least she appreciated her big brother looking out for her.

"You heard me."

"Is it your business?" Lin asked.

"I think so."

"And there, I'm afraid, we disagree. Leave it," he warned, when Masahiro opened his mouth to continue questioning him. The young man promptly closed his mouth when he saw the look in Lin's eyes.

…

Outside, the small group separated. Bou-san excused himself. "I think I know the monk that performed the exorcism in the first place. I'll see if I can't ask him a few questions and get something concrete. I can't promise results, but I'll try," he said, saluting the young ghost hunter and driving off.

Matsuzaki-san, along with Yasuhara-san drove off. With Lin still waiting for Mai and Keiko-san, Naru had no choice but to go with John. Not that he minded—had he gone with Matsuzaki-san, she would have asked him question after question. Inside his car, John turned on the heat and Naru found himself grateful for it. While John negotiated the traffic, Naru began to plan. _We're going to end this tonight,_ he thought. "John."

"Yes, Shibuya-san?"

"I'm going to let you do the exorcism. We're wrapping things up this evening. I'm not going to take the chance of waiting for Monday. I need you to get the ghost out of Yukimura-san's body. When you drop me off, you're free to go get what you need."

"I have everything I need at the base," he said tersely.

It seemed that today was geared towards surprising Naru. He'd never heard that undercurrent of steel in John's voice. He looked at the priest carefully, noticing the tightness around blue eyes that were normally guileless and serene; John's lips were twisted into an angry frown that was definitely out of place. "You're angry," Naru said, quietly.

"Very. To make us suffer like this is inexcusable—to do something as heinous as this to poor Mai-san for no reason is simply unforgivable."

Naru blinked rapidly at the outburst.

"Mai-san is a precious friend," he continued. "Shibuya-san, this isn't Australia or England. I'm more of a minority religion here than I am in England, and that's saying something."

_Of course, _Naru thought, _England is mainly Protestant or Anglican._

"I treasure each friend I have dearly." That said, the young exorcist lapsed into a silence that lasted until they reached the school. When they arrived, however, they were in for one more surprise: Lin, Mai, Keiko, and Masahiro were waiting for them. "How did they beat us here?" John asked, confused. "They left after us."

Saying nothing, Naru exited the car, went over to Lin, and raised a brow at him.

"Back roads," the Chinese man replied with a small, nearly imperceptible shudder. _Harrowing ones. Never again._

"You didn't let him drive, did you?" Naru asked in a low voice.

"Of course I didn't." _I'm not exactly straitjacket material just yet._

Saying nothing in response, Naru turned and made his way into the school. "Mai! Hurry up! I don't pay you to stand around and talk!" he called back.

He hid a smile when he saw that his words riled her. He was glad to see her spirit return. His eyes went cold when Keiko's older brother began to verbally object to what he'd said.

"Now hold on one minute! What's wrong with her talking to friends?" he challenged. "Aren't you the one who told me that we could come back to the base to spend time with her?"

"At the base, she's working," Naru said, turning and facing him. "Out here, she's not." He turned again and started towards the school building proper.

"Why, you little—" Masahiro began, balling a fist.

Mai tugged on his sleeve and smiled. "It's okay."

"It's not okay for him to treat you like that."

She rolled her eyes and whispered something in his ear. "Really, it's okay," she said again, smiling at him.

"You should find a new job," the college student muttered grimly.

"No I shouldn't. I happen to like my job and the people I work with, thank you," she said crisply. "Stop trying to cause trouble; you're always like this when you're around people you don't like."

"Whoa! Backbone, girl! Keiko," he called in a singsong voice. "We're going to leave you behind."

"Mean!" she cried, hurrying after them.

"Come on, Keiko! I have cocoa in the base room. Let's make some, it's freezing! John, are you up for some cocoa?"

"I won't say no," John replied, smiling at the part-time worker.

"Masahiro-kun?"

"Do I ever say 'no' to chocolate?" he asked, tugging a bit on Mai's short hair.

Batting his hand away, she grinned and turned to Lin and Naru. "Cocoa okay with you this time?" she asked her boss.

"Do as you like," he responded.

_Don't let me twist your arm now,_ Mai thought nastily. She looked over at Lin expectantly.

"Whatever's easiest," Lin answered. He didn't necessarily care, so long as it was hot enough to chase away the cold that was starting to seep into his bones. But hot chocolate did sound inviting. He was getting tired of black tea anyhow and made a mental note to have Mai stock up on different kinds the next time she was out shopping for the office.

Smiling again, she turned and continued walking towards the school, the thought of hot chocolate and marshmallows and whipped cream (if she could nick them from the Home EC kitchens) making her move faster. That parfait in this weather had definitely been a mistake.

Lin followed silently, intent on talking to Naru _before_ the young man announced whatever plan he'd cooked up. He'd been curious about several things and if his hunch was correct, then it needed to be cleared before they proceeded with anything. When they reached the base room, Mai opened the door and entered first, intent on making the cocoa to warm everyone up.

Before Naru could enter, Lin's hand curled around his upper arm and held him back. "Just a moment," he said. "I need to talk to you."

"We have work to do. It can wait."

"It can't, actually," Lin said, his grip on Naru's arm tightening.

_People seem to be unusually grabby today,_ Naru thought, frowning. Still… he didn't want to talk to Lin. He didn't need to hear that he'd been irresponsible. "It can wait," he repeated.

Lin leaned in close and kept his voice low. "We can either talk out here, or I can embarrass you in front of everyone in the base room, Oliver."

Oliver. Naru's eyes went wide. It'd been so long since Lin had used his real name and not the odd, Japanese version of his nickname. He sent Lin a glare, but the Chinese man refused to yield.

"Come talk with me," Lin encouraged.

Naru sighed. He really didn't have a choice. Whatever Lin needed to know certainly wasn't worth embarrassment. "Let's go down the hall," he said, shaking off Lin's hand.

"Lin-san? Naru?" Mai asked, coming to the door after witnessing the last part of the exchange. "Is everything all right?"

"We just need to talk," Lin told her. "We'll be in shortly. Stay in there and _don't_ leave," Lin ordered.

She nodded. "Okay. Don't take too long, or your cocoa will get cold." So saying, she slipped back into the room and closed the door.

Shaking off Lin's hand, Naru moved a short way down the hall with the Chinese man in pursuit. Finally, Naru turned to him and watched him, waiting for Lin to speak.

_Now or never,_ Lin thought, reaching over and unbuttoning the first three buttons of Naru's shirt and holding it open just enough to see Noll's throat. His eyes narrowed at the markings there. _Either he found himself a very eager and willing girl, or he performed psychometry on the couch. I don't think Noll would know what to do with a willing girl—he never did make a move with Mai. Option A is most assuredly out—that leaves only option B._ "I thought so," he murmured.

_What the…_ Shocked, Naru batted Lin's hand away and skirted around his assistant to the other wall. Frowning, Lin turned and he watched his young boss re-do the buttons hastily.

"So, I was right," he mused. "It struck me as odd; I know you better than you think. It's also strange that you insisted on meeting somewhere other than the base room. And why were you constantly rubbing your throat throughout Kanaguchi-san's story? It's unlikely that you got sick. Then it occurred to me that you were acting like Mai did after the counter-curse. So why did you do it?"

Naru simply glared at the wall that stood opposite of where he leaned and said nothing.

"Do you really trust me so little? Answer me," he said, when Naru offered him nothing.

"Why did I lose to you?" Naru asked.

"Don't change the subject. I want an answer from you."

Noll glared at his assistant. "Why did you perform the counter-curse in the first place? Especially _after_ I told you that it wasn't an option. Isn't it because you weren't as unaffected as you claimed?"

"How idealistic you are today," Lin observed dryly. "You're not going to answer me, are you? If you absolutely must know, I performed the counter-curse because we were running out of time. The day before, Yasuhara-san stole not one, but two kisses," Lin told him, omitting the fact that Father Toujo had suggested Lin disregard Naru's order. "Had I not… do I need to tell you what would have happened by now? Secondly, I never did claim to be unaffected—you assumed I was. My shield kept me protected well enough, but why do you think I created that barrier every morning?"

"Created?" Naru asked. "Why the past tense?"

Lin watched him, gauging his awareness. "You noticed, didn't you?"

Naru nodded. "Those that somehow respond to the prompts from the spell gain immunity to it later and to any subsequent castings. Bou-san hugged Mai at the café and there wasn't a hint of lust or longing in his eyes—just sorrow and brotherly affection," he said, quietly, remembering that he'd seen Gene with that same look. He shook it off. "I haven't felt a strong urge to kiss her lately. In fact, the urges disappeared soon after. Originally, I thought it was because Matsuzaki-san cleansed the base room, but it expanded to beyond."

Lin nodded.

"And don't you find that strange, Lin?" Naru asked, crossing his arms and staring out the window.

"Very. It's evolved with every casting."

"Wonderful," Naru said sarcastically. "It can't be returned; it can't be dispersed."

"If we get rid of the ghost, we'll get rid of the spell."

Naru looked at Lin. "That's the only option," he confirmed. "But we need to get rid of her completely. I've asked John to get the ghost out of Yukimura-san. I'll ask Bou-san to step in after that. I need you to create wards that will keep the spirit from leaving. Matsuzaki-san cleansed the base room, but there are no wards there. I _don't_ want this ghost traveling like Kenji-kun did."

Lin nodded; it'd be bad if the ghost went into Mai or one of them. Who knew what would happen then? _It wouldn't be anything good._ "It'd be wise to have a circle first and then other wards to make certain. Where do you want to do the exorcism?"

Naru considered. "We'll have to do it in the principal's office."

The Chinese man nodded.

"I also want you to equip Mai with another charm like the one you gave her on Tuesday. Father Toujo has agreed to come to the school and act as a counselor to Yukimura-san. It's likely she'll need one."

"How do you intend to get Yukimura-san here?"

Naru looked over at his associate. "Student Council meeting," he announced.

"I'll start preparing, then."

"There's no point in creating a shield any longer, is there?" the young president asked suddenly.

"No, there isn't," Lin answered honestly.

_That's why it was past tense,_ he told himself. "Are you sure your feelings aren't because of the spell?"

Lin hesitated. _What a painful question,_ he thought. "I don't know," he said quietly. "But I'm going to hope not."

"If they are, Lin?"

He looked down at the linoleum and frowned sadly. "Then we deal with it—just like we do with everything else life throws at us."

Naru looked at Chinese man with grim determination. "I don't intend to lose to you," he announced.

Lin blinked. "Pardon?" he asked, a bit lost at the abrupt change of subject.

"Losing is a painful feeling. I don't like it. I've lost her for now. It won't be for long, though."

Lin smiled faintly. "Well then. You'd better shape up and clean up your act. You do your best," the Chinese man said, turning and walking back to the base room.

_Just what does that mean?_ Naru wondered, frowning after him. He filed it away for another time and pulled out his cell phone, looking at it thoughtfully for a moment. Flipping the cover up, he dialed quickly and put the phone to his ear. He didn't have to wait very long. "Principal-san, this is Shibuya. I wanted to let you know that my team and I have very nearly wrapped up this case." He paused and listened as the older man expressed his gratitude. "Thank you very much. We intend to end things tonight. Can I count on your help? Yours and your vice- principal Satsuma's? Wonderful," he replied, smiling sardonically—the vice principal would be more of a hindrance than she would help. "Here's what I need you to do."

…

Turning off his car, Bou-san surveyed the local temple thoughtfully. A quick phone call to his father had confirmed that long-time family friend Satoshi Hideki was still at this temple. He sighed. Those steps were not something he was looking forward to climbing. He was grateful that the weather had let up a bit; the rain had dried to a drizzle, but the horizon was still a foreboding gray-black; it would start pouring again at any given time and Takigawa was going to be inside when that happened.

_No time like the present,_ he thought, locking the car and starting to take the steps two at a time. _Damn stairs,_ he griped, quarter of the way up. By the time he reached the Tori gates at the top, he was huffing with exertion. _One would think that I'd be in better shape with all the ghosts that I've been chasing,_ he thought, crouching down, putting his hands on his knees, and waiting for his breathing to return to normal. When it did, he straightened slowly and made his way to the shrine proper. A young priest greeted him just inside the temple.

"I'm here to speak with Satoshi-san, if you don't mind," he told the young man.

"I'm not sure if he'll receive visitors," the priest began. "If you're here for a consultation, any of the monks—"

"Oh, he'll make time for me. Tell him Takigawa's here to see him," he said, cutting the other monk off and smiling congenially at him.

"I'll try," the young man said, remaining doubtful. "Please wait here," he said, bowing and retreating.

Dropping the smile, Takigawa shivered a bit from the rain that still clung to him, and turned to look out at the pond. He felt an odd sense of peace enter him at the sight of the perfect circles that the raindrops created. The fish, however, didn't seem to share his sentiment and they swam around agitatedly, trying to get away from the droplets. Hoshou grinned.

"Koi ponds always made you happy; you would stare at them for hours when you were a kid," said a voice to behind him.

Takigawa turned around and smiled at his family's long-time friend and his own teacher at one point. "Satoshi-san," he said, bowing respectfully to the older monk.

"Now, now. Such formality for a friend? How's your family? Your hair's too long, by the way," he said reprovingly, as he led the younger monk to a room covered in tatami mats.

"That's because you don't have any hair, Hideki," Bou-san said, dropping the formality. "They're all fine."

"Have you gotten your mother a birthday gift yet? I see you haven't," he remarked when Takigawa's eyes went wide. "You'd better hurry and buy her something. Your father might scalp you if you don't," he teased good-naturedly. "And then you won't have any hair to worry about. So what brings you to see me?" he asked settling himself onto the floor.

Bou-san turned serious and took a seat on the tatami mat, facing the other man. "I need to ask you some questions."

The monk looked at him curiously. "Questions regarding?"

Not necessarily sure how to broach the subject politely, Hoshou decided to be direct. "There was a situation that happened in 1998. Around the time of October, a vengeful ghost possessed a high school senior and this spirit, using its host's energy, cast a curse on a classmate of its host, a curse that ended with the victim being raped, and according to rumors, also pregnant," he began watching the older monk's face closely. There was recognition, but it was shuttered. _I'm turning into Naru,_ he thought absently. He continued, "The girl who was the recipient of the curse claimed that her classmate had been possessed. A young man who attended the school around this time recalled that you had performed the exorcism on his possessed classmate—he remembered most of your name," Takiagawa said, peering at the older man's face. "I see you remember, too. Listen, I know you don't like to divulge information, but anything you can tell me would be greatly appreciated."

When the monk across from him stayed silent, Takigawa tried another tactic. "Hideki, it's important. It's happening all over again and in the exact same school. Unfortunately, this time it's personal. This same malicious ghost has cursed someone whom I regard as a little sister. If not for my sake, then do it for hers," he said beseechingly. "I can't let it happen again. I just can't. Not to her."

The room was so silent it was deafening. All Hoshou could hear was silence. And radiating it was his father's long-time friend who had retreated inwards to think. He waited impatiently for the other man to speak.

"What's the young lady's name?"

"Sorry?" Hoshou asked.

"Her name. The young lady whom I should do this for."

"Mai, Taniyama Mai."

The older monk frowned. "And I don't suppose you'll give me your word not to repeat anything I say."

"I can't. I'm talking to you on behalf of Shibuya Psychic Research. I'm obligated to share what I learn. You'll have to trust me when I tell you that we won't spread the information."

"I do trust you; as such, I'll believe that what I share won't be passed around."

"Help me."

"Ask."

"Did it work?"

"I was sure it had, until you told me it was happening all over again. The poor young lady was very frightened; she had no clue what was going on when I started my exorcism. I won't lie to you by saying it was a piece of cake. That was one strong spirit and it knew what was going on. And it fought me tooth and nail."

"This isn't going to be easy, or fun. Seems like it's an onryo." He rose to his knees and bowed formally. "Thank you, Hideki!"

The older man rose to his feet and looked down at Takigawa. "Get moving," he said gruffly. "Put that creature to rest properly."

Bou-san was already sliding the door open and exiting.

**Sunday, day eight: later in the evening…**

_She was the first grandchild on both sides of the family. Some might not have thought this significant, but both her parents came from large families. Her mother alone was the youngest of seven children. That the youngest would be the first to bear a child when the eldest daughter was still trying to conceive her first, and the eldest son (and also eldest child) apparently married a barren woman, was a big deal to her mother's parents. On her father's side, he had three elder brothers and two younger sisters. The two girls were not yet married, but her uncles were. They, however, did not yet have children of their own and her paternal grandparents were beginning to despair, wondering if they would have to wait for their daughters to marry to ever see grandchildren. _

_When her father announced to his family that his wife was expecting, there was a great party. When her mother announced to her family that she was going to give birth, there was yet another party. She was to be born in the summer; when her sex had been determined, her grandmothers had decided that her name would be Hotaru, because she was born in the season of the fireflies, one of Japan's natural and wonderful beauties. _

_As a child growing up, she often visited her maternal grandparents, as they lived closest to her—only forty-five minutes away. Her maternal grandparents had taken it upon themselves to teach their granddaughter such things as etiquette and proper manners, so that when she was grown, she wouldn't act like an out-of-control heathen like their second-to-eldest daughter. Hotaru herself became the pride and joy of the family, despite the other grandchildren that came almost right after her._

_She was seven again and sitting in front of her grandfather, waiting patiently for him to acknowledge her presence. The yukata she wore was new and scratchy, but she ignored that. Patience, her grandmother had lectured, was not only a virtue, but it was expected of a lady. If she had no patience, then she would not make a good match. Men desired a woman with patience and tranquility. She was testing her learned patience with this visit._

_"I'm disappointed in you, Hotaru."_

_Hotaru's eyes snapped open. This… wasn't how it went. Her grandfather ignored her for the better part of an hour before finally looking up from his calligraphy and requesting tea._

_She was seventeen and sitting in front of her grandfather looking at him in shock. Her school uniform seemed to restrict her terribly. "Grandfather…" she choked out._

_"None of us taught you to do this."_

_"Do what?"_

_"If I need to say, then you're not as smart as we've given you credit for, Hotaru-chan. Why do you bother with revenge when you have no rights to it?"_

_And suddenly she understood. "She stole him, grandfather."_

_"Did she steal him, or did you push him away?"_

_"What does it matter? I've lost him either way."_

_"Tsk," he said, shaking his head. "Relationships are a two-way street. There's only so much Akira-kun can do. He told you this himself. Do you blame him for trying to find another companion who won't ignore or push him away?"_

_The reality of it hit her hard; she'd have done the same in his shoes. "No," she whispered. Blame was not hers to lay. _

_"Then you should stop this. It's not too late."_

_"How?" she asked with hope. She was so weary of this. _

_"Go to the girl's friends, tell them what you've done, what you've had done. That tall man… he can find a way to break the spell."_

_"You mean Lin-san? He's the one who cast the counter-spell," she said wrathfully. __**He**__ was the reason that she was here right now. _

_"That must have taken more control than he'd care to admit," the old man said sardonically. "But you really should talk to them Hotaru-chan and put a stop to all of this before it's too late."_

_Before she could answer, another voice using her lips snarled, "Be silent, old man!"_

_Her grandfather looked at her and then through her, displeased. "I'll thank __**you**__ to be silent, parasite! I was talking to my granddaughter—not you."_

_"You dare—"_

_"That's my granddaughter you're possessing. Of course I do!" _

_"It__** is**__ too late," she said regretfully, bring the fight to a halt. "Way too late."_

_Her grandfather sighed. "Then so be it. Whatever that young lady suffers and has suffered will be on your conscience, Hotaru. For your sake," the old man said gravely, "I hope it's nothing too traumatizing."_

"Hotaru? Hotaru, sweetheart, you need to get up now. Your principal just phoned—they've called an emergency meeting for the Student Council and you need to be there. Hotaru!" her mother called, when there was little response to the news.

Hotaru blinked awake and looked at her surroundings. She was at home, in her room, and she felt awful. Her head was pounding and her throat felt like a mass of raw tissue. Maybe staying home was a good idea.

_'An emergency meeting? Is this normal?'_

_Yes,_ she thought grimly, thinking of other times when she'd been called unexpectedly to Student Council meetings. _If they've called a meeting then something is wrong. Don't be so uptight—they've done this before. It's nothing to worry about._

_'Would this have something to do with the spell, do you think?'_

_I'd doubt it,_ she answered. _They haven't shown much interest in it since it started. It'd be unusual if they were concerned now._

_'Then up you get.'_

_I don't know,_ she protested._ I feel awful._

'_And if this is connected to that girl, then you missing this meeting will be the end of everything. If you're not there, they might wonder why. That man who did the counter-curse knew what he was doing—need I remind you of this? They'll be on the look out for any student that's absent in the next few days, no matter what the function. Up. Take a hot shower; it'll help. Eat something to regain your strength. You'll be fine after that. Go to the meeting, pretend to be normal, and come back home; you can sleep then. If not, they'll assuredly find you and then all is over.'_

_I won't let that happen,_ she thought grimly. "Sorry, Mom," she said. "I'm up now."

"Good. I have dinner for you downstairs. Hurry up," her mother said, turning and leaving her room.

It took an enormous amount of effort and an eternity, but she finally managed to drag herself out of bed and into her bathroom. Immediately, she went over to the toilet and retched. _'Is this normal?'_ she wondered. A hand ran through her hair soothingly, but that did nothing for her stomach.

Dreary and exhausted, she flushed the toilet and hauled herself to her feet, using it for support. She turned the shower on to the hottest setting and stepped in, surprised at how cold she was. She shivered violently, despite the hot spray. Finally, she turned it to a more manageable setting and let the steamy water run over her body. The hot water worked wonders; the steam cleared the pounding headache and the aches in her body she hadn't known about until she left the warm cocoon of her bed. Quickly, she washed her hair and body and left the bathroom, knowing that she had limited time and if she wasn't down soon, her mother would come up to get her.

She dried and dressed quickly, throwing her hair into a ponytail. She could braid it at school. She didn't bother looking in the mirror; she didn't want to see her haggard appearance…or her so-called guardian angel. She traipsed downstairs and headed into the kitchen. Her mother turned to her with a smile that dropped and was replaced with concern. Approaching her eldest daughter, she laid her fingers on her forehead, frowning.

"You don't have a fever, but you look awful, sweetheart. Should I call the school back and tell them you're sick?"

That… was tempting, actually. Her bed was warm and inviting—and she was so _tired_! _'Don't even think about it!'_ came the snarl.

She winced and smiled wanly to cover it. _Don't shout!_ "Oh, no, I'm all right. I just stayed up too late studying again," she told her mother.

She expected her mother to beam at her with pride as she always did. She knew how proud her parents were of her and how they expected her little brother and sister to be just like her. But her mother didn't smile at her. She watched her solemnly and Hotaru began to grow nervous and fidgety under her mother's gaze.

"Hota-chan," her mother said slowly and Hotaru grew worried. Her parents hadn't called her by that pet name since she'd started high school.

"Yes, Mother?" she said, hoping her nervousness didn't show.

"Is something… wrong?"

"Eh? Don't be silly Mother. I'm fine. I'm even over the break up already."

That had been the wrong thing to say, Hotaru realized, when her mother's lips compressed into a thin line.

"If you say so," she responded. She nodded to the table. "Go eat. I'll drive you over when you're done."

Dipping her head, she scampered to the table and folded her knees. "It's time to eat," she said, picking up the chopsticks and starting on the rice.

…

Lin knelt in the center of the double circle he'd drawn and inscribed a few more runes and symbols. Standing, he carefully stepped over the lines of chalk and surveyed his work thoughtfully. Seeing nothing amiss, he closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and whispered a few words before he reopened them and said one sharp syllable. The circle flared a brilliant white before it disappeared from sight leaving nothing behind, not even chalk dust. Mai watched all of this with interest. It was the first time she'd ever seen him perform anything with magic—the counter-curse didn't count because she didn't really see him do anything. _Not that I would have been able to focus anyhow,_ she thought, a faint flush staining her cheeks. "What's the circle for?" she asked curiously.

"Idiot," Naru sighed.

She glared at him for a second before turning back to Lin expectantly.

"A circle is an important shape in magic; it provides protection. Inside it, nothing can harm you; trap something inside it and it can't bring harm."

"So… we're going to trap the ghost in there?" she asked, looking at where the chalk lines had been.

"Yes."

"Don't we need another circle?" John asked curiously. "A smaller one for someone else to stand in?"

Lin got the unspoken reference: for the people performing the exorcisms. "It's not necessary for this," Lin said. "This is to make sure the ghost doesn't travel. Breaking circles is difficult and most specters can't do it."

"Let's hope you're right about that," Bou-san said, from the doorway of the office.

"What did you find out?" Naru asked.

"What, no 'welcome back'?" he asked. When Naru just glared at him, he said, "Hideki remembered doing the exorcism on Tachibana Mayura-san." He left out that Hideki had been certain that the exorcism was a success since it obviously hadn't been. "That makes this ghost an onryo." He looked at Lin. "Are you certain that it can't break the circle?"

"It's a double circle, actually," Mai said. "Welcome back."

"Thanks. A double circle?"

Lin nodded. "I doubt an onryo will be able to break a double circle. "

"Probably not," Bou-san agreed.

"Have you ever encountered creatures that can?" Mai asked.

"All five of my Shiki," Lin answered serenely.

"Bou-san, John will get rid of the ghost in Yukimura-san's body. Once she's free, it'll be your turn," Naru said. "Matsuzaki-san," he said to the priestess as she and Yasuhara walked in the door, "be prepared to do an exorcism just in case."

She nodded.

"Will you create a charm to protect Yukimura-san once the ghost is out of her body?"

"Okay," she said. Leaving Yasuhara's side, she walked over to her ink set and spell paper, and began to draw up some charms. Lin approached Mai and handed her a charm.

"Just in case," he told her, his hand lingering on her shoulder.

The door opened and Father Toujo walked in. "Good evening, everyone," he said bowing.

Naru approached him and bowed. "Thank you for agreeing to come on such short notice."

"Not at all," the older priest said, waving away the thank you. "It's the least I could do. Brown-kun," he said, his eyes landing on the young exorcist, "are you prepared?" he asked, approaching him.

"I am," he answered.

"Good. Come talk with me a bit before the exorcism starts."

Lin looked over at the door. "It seems that the principal and vice-principal are here," he told Naru as he made last-minute adjustments on the camera that would film the exorcism.

The entryway opened violently and an irate Kotoko Satsuma barged in followed by an embarrassed principal. "What's the meaning of this?" she demanded. "This is absolutely ridiculous! Can't you do this tomorrow? And why are you using the principal's office for such a farce? Why can't you use the room we gave you?"

"And take the chance on the curse completing? Not a chance," he responded. "The base room is far too small for this and if we use it, then Yukimura-san will run."

"Curse? What curse? Whatever are you talking about?"

"The events that have been happening at school are the result of a curse," Naru said, crossing his arms and leaning against the desk. "In fact, this is the third time it's happened in this particular area."

"Nonsense!" the vice-principal snapped. "I've been here—"

"Since 1999, correct? In fact, _both_ of you have been here since 1999. The Board of Directors hired you after they fired their former principal and vice-principal. You also got several new teachers including Tsuchino Akemi-sensei, the biology teacher. Am I wrong, Satsuma-sensei?"

"No… you're right," the principal said, not giving his vice-principal a chance to say anything.

"Did you never wonder _why_ you were suddenly hired out of the blue? You, Principal-san were a retired art and music teacher; you used to teach in Tokyo. You, Satsuma-sensei, used to be a history teacher at a school in the Niigata Prefecture. You were hoping to become a vice-principal at the school there, but you were offered the position here and you took it. But didn't you think it odd? The principal and vice-principal who were your predecessors had been here since the late '80's, early '90's and suddenly, you both had their jobs."

Both stayed silent, unable to meet Naru's cold glare.

"This did happen twice before. The most recent was in 1998. Unlike this time however, the curse was completed. The targeted student ended up raped and pregnant. She's currently in America studying. The other time it happened was in the mid 1800's. That time, the curse wasn't completed. The victim was able to barter her way out of it, you might say."

"What… type of curse is it?" the principal asked.

"One geared towards rape. We don't know its name because the creator never gave it one. Her attempt in 1998 didn't fail, though."

"Are you saying the spirit is still alive?" the principal asked.

"Not in terms of life as we understand it, no. It's an onryo now and possessing one of your students. One who just had a very bad break-up with her boyfriend."

"Yukimura-san, right? That's why you asked me to call her and have her come to the school."

"Correct," Naru said, nodding. "If we can get rid of the creature once and for all, then the curse will go away. When is Yukimura-san due to arrive?"

"Anytime now."

"Does she have a cell phone, to your knowledge?"

"I believe she does."

"Please find the number and call her again. Ask her to come to the principal's office first before going to the normal meeting room. Tell her that you have some documents submitted to you by students who couldn't catch the Student Council members to give to them for whatever reason." Naru looked at his crew. "You all know what to do, correct?"

There was agreement all around.

"Principal-san, vice-principal, I'm going to ask you to leave once you're done with that. I'm truly sorry you came all this way- it wasn't necessary for you to do so."

"But—"

Naru's cold glare cut the vice-principal off before she could protest more.

"We understand," the principal said.

…

Hotaru hung up her cell phone and sighed. "Students should make a greater effort to get in touch with Student Council members instead of bothering the principal with such things. And now I have to make a pit stop before going to the meeting room," she complained, walking towards the building. _I must be early,_ she thought, not seeing the president's scooter or the vice-president's bicycle. _Oh, well, I'll have time to look at those documents, instead of floundering like a fish out of water if they come up,_ she told herself, making her way to the principal's office. She shivered a bit in the hallway. _It really is creepy here at night!_ She quickened her pace, eager to get out of the dark hall. _I made it!_ she thought, smiling a little.

_'What were you afraid of? The dark?'_

Hotaru was certain that her so-called guardian angel was scoffing at her. _Excuse me for being human! It's natural, right? The school is creepy at night._

_'What about it is creepy? There's nothing different—the halls are the same; they just don't have any light.'_

_That's just it. Everything is so much different in the dark._

_'Humans are foolish creatures.'_

_You were human once, too._

_'…A very long time ago. Hurry up or you'll never make that meeting!'_

_Right! The poor principal. He has to be here, too,_ she thought, noticing that the light was on in his office. She put her hand on the doorknob. "Pardon the intrusion," she called, opening the door and stepping inside.

The circle's lines flared bright and hot when she stepped into the office. Crying out in surprise, she quickly shielded her eyes from the light. _What's going on!_ she wondered, opening her eyes a crack when the light dimmed down.

_'Damn him! He __**planned**__ this!' _

Hotaru looked over at Shibuya-san, who stood in front of her with arms crossed and a frown on his face.

"John," he said.

Hotaru's eyes widened as the priest approached. Uncorking a small vial of Holy Water, he swished it through the air a few times in the form of a cross, making certain that the blessed water hit her a few times. She flinched as the cold liquid hit her skin.

_'No! I won't let this succeed! I must break this circle! Your revenge is far too near to let this succeed. Help me!' _Hotaru felt her head dip down and heard gasps of surprise. Hotaru wouldn't have been able to describe what happened after that, except that she felt the ghost inside her pushing something outwards. It stopped and rebounded on her and she cried out as the returned power cut her skin.

"I suggest you look very closely at that circle, madam ghost," Naru said.

Once again, Hotaru looked down—this time on her own—and realized something very odd. There were two circles, not one. The space in between the two was inscribed with symbols that she couldn't decipher. From the looks of it, the ghost inside her couldn't read them either. She felt herself shoved to the wayside as the ghost took full control of her.

"A double circle and runes, eh? You're much more clever than I gave you credit for, sorcerer," it said turning to look at Lin. The Chinese man looked back, icily.

The voice that spoke was most assuredly not Hotaru. "I'm sorry, Yukimura-san," Naru said, focusing past the ghost and peering into her eyes.

_So pretty,_ she thought absently. _But so cold!_

"But we need to separate that ghost from you, now. It's not good for you to remain possessed, even if you are a willing host. Surely you understand."

_…I understand._

That must have communicated to him because he looked over at the blond-haired exorcist and nodded.

"John, please continue."

"Yes." Closing his eyes, and lifting his right hand in a form of benediction, he took a deep breath and intoned, "I strictly order you in the name of Christ, to expose yourself no matter where you are hidden and to leave the body you reside in. Everybody blessed by the Holy Trinity has forever banned your existence. You will no longer seek the bodies given by God. Go immediately! In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. In Principio," he finished, opening his eyes and raising his hand horizontally and swiftly lowering it vertically, creating the sign of the cross.

Hotaru wasn't prepared for the pain the pervaded every inch and pore of her body and seemed to pierce through her very soul. Far away she heard a terrible scream and realized a second later that it was herself. And then Hotaru was out of the circle: the tall man, Lin-san had grabbed her arm and dragged her out. The depletion of energy and aftermath of the exorcism hit her immediately and she sank to the floor, utterly exhausted. The Chinese man released her arm and someone crouched down next to her—the priestess- Matsu-something. Reluctantly, she took the spell paper that was handed to her. A feeling of well-being settled over and she cradled the charm to her chest protectively, as if the ghost could leave and get her again. She looked around and saw Mai standing near the Chinese man. _How odd,_ Hotaru thought tiredly. _I didn't see her earlier. Where was she?_

"Bou-san."

Shibuya-san's voice drew her from her thoughts of where Mai had been hiding and she looked over at the long-haired monk with a frown. He wore the traditional robes of a Buddhist priest…but his hair! Were they allowed to wear their hair that long? And then she remembered that he was taking a break from the monk business. _What a crock,_ she thought. _Taking a break, but performing exorcisms? He's probably powerless—it won't work! In fact, the reports indicated that his initial tries in the old classroom building were unsuccessful._

The monk and Ayako in her prietess robes took John's place and the ghost smiled at them with amusement. She looked exactly as Mai had seen in her dreams. "Oh? So you two are next? I guess it can't be helped. I don't think you two can do it, but we'll see."

Takigawa smirked. "Don't underestimate me. And don't underestimate her, either." Centering himself, he clasped his hands and extended his fingers into the Fudo Myou-ou poise.

"You didn't fare so well in the last case at this school."

"Exorcisms don't work when there aren't any spirits to get rid of," Naru said.

Hotaru's eyes widened. _Say what? No spirits…?_

"And where's the little girl? She's not present for our quaint party? What a shame. One would think she'd be here to see your grand failings," the ghost commented, looking around.

_Eh? Can't she see Mai at all? She's right behind me!_ Hotaru's eyes widened in realization. _She must have a charm of sorts, too, because until Lin-san dragged me out of the circle, __**I**__ didn't see her either._

As he took cleansing breaths, a memory entered his mind—it was the same every time he performed an exorcism. _"Words, no matter what language, will only have power if you put that power there. Your power must be fed into the words you're saying; your voice must be commanding, it must make the words power. Remember this every time you do an exorcism, Houshou," his father said._

_'I remember, Father.'_ Taking one final breath, Takigawa closed his eyes and began. "Nau maku san manda bazaradan senda makaroshada sowataya untarata, kan man." His voice came out deep and commanding.

The ghost flinched. "You'll have to do better than that!" she taunted.

He didn't seem to hear her taunts. "Nau mari saba tatakiyatei biyari."

Another cringe.

Unclasping his hands, he crossed his pinky fingers and continued. "On bazara bokisha boku. Saraba mokkei biyari sarabata taraku. On kiri kiri bazara bajiri hora manda manda un hatta. On amiri tonausoba un hatta."

As Bou-san's exorcism progressed, the ghost began to recoil and move as far away as she could within the limitations of Lin's circle—which wasn't much; the smaller circle had little room for moving to speak of. _It's working,_ he noted. _Take that!_ Fueled by the same anger as John had been, Bou-san moved back to the Fudou Myou-ou hand placement and began the final set of chants. Once she was too weak to stand it, Ayako would finish it.

"Nau maku sarabata taagyatei biyaku. Saraba bokkei biyaku. Sarabata tatara senda makaroshada ken gyaki gyaki. Saraba bikennan untarata kan man." The screaming started after that. Long, wailing howls that chilled his very blood; he ignored it and continued. The look on Bou-san's face scared Mai: it held no mercy whatsoever.

"Nau maku san manda bazara dankan; Nau maku san manda bazara dankan; Nau maku san manda bazara dankan!" he chanted, opening his eyes and focusing on the ghost. He looked at Ayako and nodded to her once. She nodded back and raised her Onusa and began to wave and shake it back and forth.

"Rin, Pyou, Tou, Sha, Kai, Jin, Retsu, Zai, Zen!" she intoned, waving it in an arch, once.

The combined exorcisms did the job. With a horrible shriek, the ghost blinked out of existence, the only trace of her presence the fading echo of her screams. One last thing to do. Naru looked at Lin and nodded at him grudgingly. He really didn't want to see this—but it had to be done. And Lin was the one who'd weaved the counter curse before. Grasping Mai's arm gently, the tall Chinese man led her over to the circle and guided her into it. He'd explained to her earlier that this would be the last thing to do—bring whatever was left of the spell cloud into existence so it could be destroyed entirely. Already he could feel it breaking apart, but this at least would insure it. The circle flared as soon as its creator stepped into it. Clasping Mai close, Lin leaned down and lightly pressed his lips to hers in a gentle kiss, with just enough passion to bring what was left of the spell cloud into existence. Breaking the kiss, Lin went to the inner edge of the circle and using his foot, he disrupted the power running along the lines, smudging the circles and runes he'd drawn. The circle dissolved into smoke. Looking at his third Shiki, he gave it permission to devour the remaining clumps. It set to work with gusto. While it was busy with the rest of the spell, Lin returned to the camera and stopped the recording.

"It's… gone," they heard a small voice say.

In unison, they all looked over at Yukimura Hotaru, who was staring at the ceiling with angry tears running down her cheeks. "All that hard work, down the drain!" She looked over at Mai and glared at her. "Haven't you done enough?" she screeched, her eyes wild. "You took him away from me! You ruined my spell! What did I _ever_ do to you?"

They saw Mai move towards her, but by the time they realized her intentions, there was no stopping her; the slap resounded in the room and they all flinched—Mai did indeed pack a mean punch and an even meaner slap. Mai's face and eyes were like stone: hard and unyielding. Hotaru stared up at her in shock and cradled her stinging cheek.

"I don't want to date Akira," she said bluntly. "I've never wanted to date him. I didn't intend for him to develop feelings for me—it's more painful for him because I can't return those feelings. But I don't blame him! _You're_ the one who pushed him away! Relationships are a two-way street! There's only so much Akira-kun can do," she said, eerily echoing what Hotaru's grandfather said in her dream. "What's he_ supposed_ to do? Sit around and wait for you to come to the sense you never had? You deserved exactly what happened to you," Mai stated with deadly calm.

_That's right,_ she thought, not noticing as tears began to slip down her cheeks. _I pushed him away when I became too involved in the Student Council,_ she remembered. _What started as brotherly affection grew because Mai was there to comfort him. The blame is mine, isn't it, grandfather?_ A sob escaped her throat and Hotaru curled in on herself, weeping.

The door slammed open and the principal and vice-principal entered the room followed closely by a very worried looking Akira; one step behind him was Masahiro with a stony look on his face. Akira looked around for a moment, spotting Mai and the sobbing Hotaru. "Hotaru!" he called, running to her side and ignoring Mai. "What's wrong? What happened? Are you okay? Talk to me! Hotaru!" he said, giving her shoulders a small shake.

_A…Akira? Why?_ The tears became harder and more pitiful. Father Toujo approached and crouched down next to the young lady.

"There now, it's all right. You've gone through a terrible ordeal," the priest said, sympathetically. "Come, now. Come talk to me." Father Toujo, with Akira's aid, pulled the distraught young woman to her feet and slowly began to lead her out of the room.

Naru looked at the principal and vice-principal. "It's over," he said. "Things should return to normal by tomorrow morning."

"Thank you for all your hard work, everyone," the principal said, bowing.

"Mai, you and Lin take down the cameras in the hall. Bou-san, John, Matsuzaki-san, please take down the monitors and the shelves in the Teacher's Lounge."

Mai's shoulder's slumped. "That workaholic," she muttered, following Lin to the halls where they'd set up the cameras. They worked quickly and in silence. It was easier to stop the cameras and dismantle them than it was to set them up and configure them.

_Odd how that works,_ she thought, looking at Lin from the corner of her eye. _So I suppose that since it's over… whatever that was between us is, too. Oh, well, it was a nice dream, I suppose_, Mai thought, smiling sadly and trying to will her eyes not to tear up. _Everything… will go back to normal._ A lone tear slipped down her cheek and she hurriedly scrubbed it away. _No! I'm not going to cry!_ She was lost in thought and didn't hear Lin approach her.

"What are you thinking?" he asked her.

She jumped and turned, hitting the wall. "N…Nothing, really." She looked away. "I guess… things will go back to normal, right?"

Lin blinked. "What's normal?"

"Huh?"

"I asked you what normal is."

"Life, isn't it? Won't it just go back to the way it was?"

"Do you want that?" he asked, gauging her reaction.

She looked up, puzzled. Opening her mouth to answer, she closed it just as quickly and looked at the ground in thought. "If I say 'yes,' will this end?"

"It will," he confirmed, nodding once. "What do you want, Mai? Do you want things to go back to 'Taniyama-san' and 'Lin-san'?"

Reaching out, she threaded her fingers in his shirt and bunched the fabric in her hand. "No," she said, almost inaudibly. "I don't." She looked up at him with a bright smile. "What's so great about 'normal' anyhow?"

"What, indeed?" he asked, leaning down and kissing her again. _I've caught a butterfly in my net,_ he thought, trapping her between him and the wall and deepening the kiss.

…

"Naru doesn't intend to give you up, you know," Lin said, as they packed up the last cameras.

"Then he should have made his feelings known sooner!" Mai stated in a huff.

_Yes, that's true,_ Lin thought, silently agreeing with her. _But for reasons that are his own, he simply can't. I'm not convinced that Naru knows how he feels, yet. What a conundrum we three are in. What the outcome will be, even I can't see. What happens, happens. We'll just take things one step at a time. That's the only thing anyone can do._ "Naru's waiting at the van for the cameras. Let's go," he said heading down the hallway.

-End.

**A/N:** Oh, stop fretting. There's an epilogue. Just be patient, for heaven's sake! Just a quick comment, if I may. Many of you NaruxMai shippers are not happy, I know. And I would have to be blind, deaf, and dumb not to realize that you desperately wanted_ Shades of Lust_ to end exclusively as NaruxMai. Instead, it ended as a triangle between Lin, Mai, and Naru—with a heavy emphasis on LinxMai.

I do not apologize for ignoring all your hints and prods. I will not apologize, either. Don't expect it.

If I took everyone's prods and "hint hints" this fanfiction would not be something that I thought of; rather, it would be an out-of-control Round Robin. Sometimes, in writing, you just have to say 'thanks for the suggestion, but I'd rather do things this way.' And that's what I've done. So… many thanks for the input, the suggestions, the prods, and the occasional poke when I've been lackadaisical about updating, but I happen to like how this fic turned out over all.

On the other hand, if any of you want to take care of Charlie, let me know. I'd be glad to foist my over-productive-at-inconvenient-times-plot bunny on someone else, especially during exams!

I'll see you all in the epilogue! And be sure to watch for my new stories that should be coming soon!


	11. Epilogue

Epilogue:

**Two days later…**

"…And that's it," Michiru told her friends as they sat, just the three of them, under the large sakura tree, eating lunch. It had been Mai's choice to eat there today and she'd stood firm to it despite protests from her friends. Mai absolutely refused to allow the memory of her first kiss being stolen under said tree to ruin her enjoyment of eating under it and using it as a haven. With the ghost possessing Hotaru gone, life had gone back to normal—frighteningly so. The boys, embarrassed and shy, had apologized; their girlfriends had, too. The principal and vice-principal had issued a formal apology to Mai for all the trouble. After that, school carried on like the events of the past ten days had never happened. In a way, she was glad. She hated it when things were drawn out. Looking out over the tree, Mai knew that she wouldn't totally forget. _But then again, if I do, I'm not human, am I?_ She frowned. _Telling Akira-kun that I couldn't return his feelings must have been very painful for him,_ Mai recalled, thinking back to after the ghost was totally gone.

…

"Akira."

The dark-haired boy stopped at the doorway and looked at Masahiro curiously. Kanaguchi Masahiro never called his name, if he could possibly help it.

"What?"

Crossing his arms and leaning against the doorjamb to prevent his leaving, Masahiro nodded his head once in Mai's direction. "I think you have something to discuss with Mai-chan."

"But—"

"Now," he said, his voice firm and leaving no room for arguments. "Hotaru can wait. She's in good hands right now. Besides, it'd probably be better if you weren't there for a while. She's still in a state of denial and you being there isn't going to help. Let the priests talk to her and calm her down."

Sighing, Akira turned from the door and approached Mai, who'd just returned from taking down the cameras with Lin-san. A hush fell over the others the closer he got, and he noticed that the rest of the people she worked with flanked her. _More like they're surrounding her,_ he thought. He wanted to act cool and ignore them, but Shibuya-san and the rest cut imposing figures. Brown-san was with Father Toujo and Hotaru at that moment, so there was no one to dispel the tension radiating from the close-knit group. He clasped his hands behind his back and gave her a nervous smile. "So…I guess that's it, right? You're not going to go out with me."

"I can't," Mai told him. "Honestly, I still see you as an older brother, not as a boyfriend. I'm flattered you like me that way, but I can't date you under false pretenses. That's not fair to either of us."

"That's true."

"I'm sorry." Mai bowed deeply to him. "I can't acknowledge your feelings. Please forgive me!"

"I apologize as well, for putting you in uncomfortable situations," he replied, bowing back to her. Straightening, he smiled sadly at her. "All's well that ends well, right?" he asked.

"Yes," she said, smiling at him.

"And… you have someone else, right?" he asked, nudging her with his elbow and winking.

"Maybe," Mai replied mysteriously.

"You're no fun!" he complained. He smiled at her laughter. "I've missed hearing you laugh. I hope I'm never the cause of your tears, again."

She smiled. "I won't let that happen. You," she said nodding in the direction of the now-clear doorway, "have a new chance. A new beginning. Go for it."

Akira blinked. "When did you get so wise?" he wondered. "Does it go back to your work?"

Spying John, Mai smiled. "I think it's okay for you to go see Hotaru, now," she said, not answering his query.

…

_All's well that ends well,_ she thought, wincing a bit and wishing that her headache would go away. She really did want to eat the lunch that she'd spent hours preparing, but she had no appetite. It had started off as a dull pain in her head, but as the day progressed, it had steadily grown worse.

"How's Hotaru doing?" Keiko asked.

Mai snapped back and focused on her friends, trying not to grimace at the pain radiating like lightning through her head.

"She seems to be doing better," Michiru said. "She and Akira worked things out between them and made up. She's still talking to Father Toujo, but she's also been referred to a therapist by Brown-san. Akira's been really supportive of her therapy and he's doing everything in the world to help her. Sorry to tell you this, Mai, but it looks like he's lost interest in you," Michiru finished, winking.

"Oh, well," she replied, not sounding the least bit upset. "That's okay." She crossed her arms over her stomach and curled up against the tree; it helped alleviate her headache just a bit. "I didn't want to date him anyway."

"I know," Michiru said, watching her friend with a curious expression on her face. "Mai…"

"Hmm?" she asked, peering at her through half-lidded eyes.

"No, it's nothing," Michiru said, shaking her head.

"Really?"

"Really," she replied, looking at Mai's barely eaten bento pensively.

Straightening, Mai began to repack her lunch, cringing while she did. _Maybe I should go to the nurse,_ she wondered. _I haven't been feeling very well all day long._ She blinked to get rid of a sudden wave of vertigo. _This headache's completely draining me and sapping my appetite. _

"Mai." Keiko's voice brought her back.

"Yes?" she asked, fighting through a wave of dizziness.

"Are you okay? You're awfully pale."

"Am I?" She chuckled faintly. "To tell you the truth, I haven't been feeling well all day."

Keiko and Michiru looked at each other, worried. "Maybe you should go home," Keiko suggested. "I'm sure the teacher will understand."

"Oh, no," Mai protested. "I can't. Who's going to make Naru his tea?" she joked. _If I don't go in, I won't be able to see Lin. I wanted to ask if there were any special foods he wanted me to make for the picnic Saturday._ Thinking about food was starting to make her nauseous.

"Learning to use a tea maker doesn't take years to master. I'm sure Shibuya-san or Lin-san can manage," Michiru said firmly, not smiling at Mai's feeble attempt at joking.

Mai shook her head faintly. "The bell's about to ring." She pushed herself to her feet. Nausea hit her full on and she felt her body sway. Far away, she heard her friends call out to her. _They sound frightened,_ she thought. _This… isn't going to be one of those dreams. I don't think I'll dream… at… all…_ She was out before her body hit the ground.

…

Lin looked out the window, agitated. The sun was out—it was a gorgeous spring day. As much as he didn't like Japan or her people, Lin had to admit that Japan had lovely spring seasons. Taking advantage of the of the cooler weather, he went out into the reception area and opened the windows, intent on having the smell of Cherry blossoms while he worked on writing up his report from their latest case. He sighed in frustration and moved the laptop to the coffee table. He was edgy today and he didn't know why; his Shiki were jumpy, and Naru was in a very foul mood. Odder than that, both Takigawa-san and Brown-san had called the SPR office sounding anxious. When Lin asked why, they were perplexed and couldn't exactly state a reason.

"But," John said, "I have a feeling that something… isn't quite right with Mai-san."

_Yasuhara-san also phoned inquiring if Mai was all right. And that's odd. As helpful as Yasuhara-san is with research and investigating, we know he isn't psychic. Still,_ Lin thought, frowning and looking at the phone as if he expected it to ring soon. Rising from the couch, he went to Naru's office and opened the door. "Naru."

"I'm busy," he snapped in response, his mood blacker than before.

The phone rang and Lin ignored it along with Naru's building temper. "This… anxiety… do you think it's something to do with Mai?"

The phone stopped ringing and Naru looked up from the book he was poring through. "I don't know," he said finally, looking out the window in his office. The phone started ringing again and Lin frowned. "But," he commented glancing at the clock on his computer pensively, "it would make sense, wouldn't it?"

Lin agreed with him and left the office, leaving the door open. Frowning, he approached the now silent phone. _I guess it wasn't important,_ he thought, looking at his watch. Where was she? Mai should have been here nearly an hour ago. Being this late was unlike her.

The phone started to ring again, vehemently disagreeing with his conclusion of not being important. A sense of foreboding curled into his stomach as he looked at the device dancing in its cradle. The sun ducked behind some clouds as he approached the phone and if Lin had been able to think of anything else at the time, he would have groaned at the cliché. Something was very wrong. He knew that unpleasant news waited on the other end of the line. He picked the receiver up. "Shibuya Psychic Research—"

He broke off and listened to the frantic voice on the other end with a frown etched onto his face. Lin slammed the phone down. "Naru!" he called.

…

Mai was in the hospital. She'd collapsed just before the bell signaling the end of lunch had sounded. Michiru had phoned them and told them what happened and where she'd been taken, a different hospital than the one closest to her school. She apologized for informing them so late, but it had taken a fair amount to find out which hospital she was moved to. That made them think the worst had happened. Eight days they'd put up with that curse never once thinking there might have been something besides rape that they'd missed.

_How careless of us,_ Lin thought as he and Naru entered the hospital and stalked to the reception desk where someone would be waiting to talk with them. They stopped a few feet from the large desk and stared at the person who stood there jotting down notes on a patient's chart.

"Matsuzaki-san?" Naru called cautiously. When she didn't answer, he called out to her again. He wasn't expecting her to whack him on the head with the clipboard she was using.

"I heard you the first time!" she snapped. "And that's Matsuzaki-sensei to you! So long as I'm wearing this coat and in this building you'll call me by my title."

Crossing his arms, Naru frowned at her. "I certainly hope you're a more successful doctor than priestess," he told her, noting how tired she looked. Mai's condition couldn't be that bad, could it? Images of frantic care, CPR, and resuscitations ran through his mind and Naru firmly ordered himself not to be stupid. Matsuzaki-san—no, Matsuzaki-sensei wouldn't stand in front of them so calmly if Mai's condition were that serious.

The clipboard whacked his head again. "Matsuzaki-san…" he said, his eyes glittering dangerously.

"What a brat you are!" she complained, handing over the chart she'd been reviewing to the nurse at the desk. Lin stifled a grin. "He can check out as soon as his blood work comes back clear. I know his wife's been calling non-stop, so hopefully, that will satisfy her," she told the nurse.

"Thank you, Matsuzaki-sensei. Oh, I have a message from your mother."

Ayako paused, expecting the nurse at the desk to hand her a message.

"She said, 'If you don't come pick up your plants, I'm going to throw them out.'"

Ayako sighed. She hadn't phoned it. "If you see her, tell her I'll pick them up tonight."

"Yes, doctor."

Reaching over, the priestess picked up Mai's chart and motioned for Lin and Naru to follow her. As they followed Matsuzaki-san, Naru wondered why he hadn't noticed it before. She did have a lot of free time to devote to SPR when they needed her.

"Did you have any clue?" he asked Lin.

"None whatsoever," Lin replied quietly. "But thinking about it, it makes sense."

_Yes,_ Naru thought, _it did._

"Inside, please," Ayako said, drawing him from his musings.

They walked into her office, took the chairs facing the desk, and watched her settle herself in the comfortable-looking chair behind the desk. It struck the seventeen-year-old odd—seeing her behind a desk was unexpected. She looked perfectly in place there. Looking around the office, he noticed that it suited her entirely. The large window behind her let in plenty of sunlight that would feed the myriad of plants in the corners and on her desk; it probably acted as a form of relaxation or therapy for her. Naru got the sense that she didn't allow people in her office very often, preferring to speak to them in or outside her patients' rooms; there was no examining table in the room or any other paraphernalia a doctor would need to tend to patients in the office. This room was a haven, he decided, spying the small iPod accessory and iPod sitting on a file cabinet. Her degrees stood above the cabinet, in beautiful, ornate frames.

"So?" she said, leaning back and crossing her legs. She looked more tired than ever.

"You're a doctor."

She looked annoyed. "And? Is there something about this that bothers you? You should have done your homework."

"Nevermind," Naru said, sighing. "What's wrong with Mai?"

"Other than being exhausted, stressed out, and having a touch of anemia? Nothing," she said.

"Why is she at _this_ hospital?" Lin asked. "It's a private hospital—she can't possibly afford treatment here."

"She's not paying for it," Ayako told him. "My family owns this hospital. Our insurance is taking care of it. She's here because I've listed myself as her emergency contact and caregiver—it's easier to get hold of me, than it is to get either of you on the phone."

"When will she be released?" Naru asked ignoring the barb.

"We're keeping her over night just to be sure. After that, she'll be released into my care the following day," she told him, reaching over to a long, verdant fern leaf and toying with it idly. "After that, we'll see you both at the picnic, Saturday, provided that she doesn't collapse again. I don't think she will," Ayako said gently, seeing the looks in their eyes—especially Lin's. "But it's better to be safe than sorry, as the saying goes. I live in a secluded area. Being away from her apartment and the people that she normally interacts with will be good for her."

"I don't remember agreeing to the picnic," Naru said.

_I.e. you don't want to go and socialize,_ Ayako thought. "But you'll be there, right?" she asked. "Mai's looking forward to it—it might bring about a relapse if you weren't there, too."

Logically, he knew that wouldn't happen. Mai was not that faint of heart. But she'd be awfully disappointed and he was in competition with Lin for her. _Seems I have no choice,_ Naru thought. _We can't have her collapsing again._ He stayed silent and received a serene smile in return. Naru sighed and stood; it seemed Matsuzaki-san had bested him this time—the young president decided to let her have the victory. "What room?"

"Two-eleven. By the way…" she started. "I would appreciate it if you didn't tell Mai I'm a doctor."

"I'll think about it," Naru replied.

"When was the last time I requested something from you?"

"I had no idea that word was in your vocabulary, Matsuzaki-_sensei_,"

"I'm serious this time."

Naru didn't answer. Heaving another sigh, he left the office. Lin rose, preparing to leave as well, when Ayako's voice stopped him. "Hold on a minute, Lin-san," she said.

Pausing, he looked back at her and frowned when she motioned for him to come back. "Are you going to lecture me?" he asked, reclaiming the seat he'd vacated briefly.

"Do I need to?" Ayako asked, looking at him quizzically. "You hardly strike me as a teenager. But if you'd like, we could start with the basics, then the do's and don't's of dating, and finish with protection."

Lin stared at her. _She really is in her element here. First Naru and now me. Lin and Naru zero; Matsuzaki-san, two._ "I'd rather you didn't, actually. Our relationship is far too—" he broke off and watched her silently before asking, "How long have you known?"

"You know, just because Naru figures things out faster than the rest of us doesn't automatically make everyone else an imbecile," Ayako groused. She waved a hand at him, dismissively. "I'm not blind. I'm not stupid. How long it's been going on or building, that I don't know and I don't want to know."

"Fair enough. You said you wanted to warn me? How so? And please spare me a long lecture. I do not intend for our relationship to go as far as you insinuated for quite sometime."

"Humph. Aren't you confident?" she asked.

_What's that supposed to mean? _Lin wondered.

Her tone turned serious. "I know you're eager to go to Mai and see how she's doing—but I want you to think on something."

"What would that be?"

She crossed her arms and frowned. Lin was reminded of a big sister in that stance. "You're not the most communicative person in the world. I don't know who's worse at communicating, you or Naru. When you do communicate, you're very polite and eloquent, but let's face it, we have to pull teeth to get that from you at all. Mai's going to expect you to include her in a great deal of things—she doesn't know differently because she's never been in a relationship before."

_Definitely a big sister,_ he thought, amused. _Between her and Takigawa-san, I'll have to watch my footing._ "Speaking of communicating," he said, watching her for a moment—there was absolutely no way he was leaving until the score had been evened out some, "why don't _you_ tell Takigawa-san how you feel? With the way he acts around you, I'd say his feelings are the same."

Ayako smiled wanly. "I'd have to give up what I am," she told him cryptically. She lost the smile and looked out the window with a small frown. "And I don't mean being a doctor."

"I didn't think you did. It's just a title, Matsuzaki-sensei," Lin told her standing. "You'd be able to keep your power, you know this. 'What's in a name?'"

"'That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet,'" Ayako finished. "Romeo and Juliet."

"Well done. Apt, in your case, don't you think?"

"There you go with the eloquence I was telling you about," she said propping her chin on a fist.

"You're not going to say a word."

"I'm a coward," she told him. "I just can't."

_Coward,_ he thought. _What a funny concept. Who's she trying to fool?_ "Liar," Lin said at the doorway. "I don't know what you're keeping quiet about, but it's your business and not ours. I won't tell Mai anything, but if you don't show up soon with a good excuse, she's going to wonder."

"Not to worry. I'm off in five minutes," she told him, giving him a snarky grin.

"How kind of you to use us as a way to waste time."

She waved his comment away. "Twenty minutes isn't going to matter. I've been here since three o'clock yesterday morning."

Lin stared at her, doing a fast calculation in his mind. "Thirty-eight hours in two days. That's not healthy."

"Is it so different from what you and Naru do?"

"It is," he confirmed. "We make sure to eat and rest."

"It couldn't be helped this time. One of our employees had to fly home for a family emergency. We don't know when she'll be back either; she's yet to call us with any sort of news. In the meantime, her shifts had to be filled. I'm younger than my parents are. It's easier for me than it is for them." She stood. "Go and see Mai. I'll be along shortly. Room two-eleven," she said by way of reminder.

This time, he really was dismissed. "SPR will share the hospital bills. Be sure to give us a copy of the invoice. Mai is our employee, after all."

Opening the door, he shut it softly behind him and began to follow the signs to get to Mai's room. Once there, he rapped gently on the door. "I'm coming in," he said quietly, walking into her room. A faint but steady beeping noise greeted him upon opening the door. The heart monitor sat near the bed, recording her heart rate. She was sitting up in bed and studiously reading her school text while taking notes; Naru's workaholic attitude was probably rubbing off on her. He noted with amusement that they'd probably clothed her in a child's hospital gown. He frowned at how tiny she looked. Frail, haggard, and utterly lacking her usual enthusiasm; there were tired shadows in her eyes. Matsuzaki-san was right, it would do her a world of good to relax and allow herself to be pampered. She looked up and smiled radiantly at him and he watched her eyes return to their normal selves. Inwardly, he breathed a sigh of relief as the dreadful exterior he'd just seen melted away.

_She'll be just fine in Matsuzaki-san's care,_ he told himself, pulling up a chair close to the bed. He reached out and took her hand, joining their fingers. "How do you feel?" he asked, noticing the IV that was hanging discreetly near the bedpost. He checked to make sure that he wasn't holding the hand the IV was connected to.

"Better," she said, cheerfully, squeezing his fingers reassuringly. "My headache's gone and I'm not feeling nauseous anymore. I do feel a bit tired, but if I sleep now, I won't sleep at night." She made a face. "They're keeping me over night," she said, pouting a little.

He smiled. "That's standard. You collapsed at school. They want to make sure it's nothing serious."

Mai grinned, but looked around the room pensively. He could tell what she was thinking. Leaning forward, he kissed her gently, startling her a bit. "Don't worry," he told her simply. "We asked them to bring you to this hospital." It occurred to him that if Mai ever found out the truth, she wouldn't be very happy. _Leave it,_ he told himself. _That's for another day. If you stress her out and Matsuzaki-san learns of it, you'll have to worry about what's in your tea!_

"Where are Naru and the others?" he asked.

"Ah… Naru left to greet John and Masako. They won't let her in my room just yet because she has a cold and might be contagious. The doctors are checking to make sure she isn't," she told him. "Bou-san and Yasuhara-san went to buy some drinks. It's funny…" she said, trailing off and looking out the window.

"What is?"

"I knew she would catch a cold on Sunday. I wasn't just thinking that, 'well, it's raining—she just might catch a cold.' I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that she would definitely catch a cold that day."

"Stop fretting about it," Lin said. "Your intuition isn't limited to just dreams any more. Just let your abilities develop. There's little you can do to stop them anyway."

Mai's answering smile was slightly strained.

He understood immediately. Really, she was very easy to read. "We're with you every step of the way," he told her, giving her hand a quick, comforting squeeze. "Not just Naru and I, but Matsuzaki-san, Takigawa-san, Brown-san, Hara-san, and Yasuhara-san, as well. Well, Hara-san I'm really not so sure of. However, it really lies with you. You'll have to be able to suspend your fear and take things as they come. There's no sense in worrying about something that's nothing."

"And…if it becomes something?" she asked.

"Then you come to us. Immediately," he told her. "Do not wait."

She got the unspoken message, _do not wait like you did with this latest incident_. She smiled in relief. "Thank you," Mai said gratefully.

"Not at all," Lin said, leaning over and giving her a longer kiss than the last. He broke off when he felt Matsuzaki-san's presence rushing to her room. Sitting back, the Chinese man prepared himself for what he hoped was decent acting on her part.

A few seconds later, the door slammed open and Ayako literally pounced in. "Mai!" she exclaimed. "I got here as soon as I could. I… what happened? Why are you in the hospital?"

Mai's grip on Lin's hand tightened. "I collapsed at school, that's all."

"You collapsed at school?" she asked, putting her hands on her hips and leaning over the girl. "Have you been eating? Sleeping?"

_Tone it down, Matsuzaki-san, or she'll figure it out real soon,_ Lin thought, watching her expressionlessly.

"Well… I thought I had. I'm fine though! Really," she said, waving her free hand frantically to ward off the extremely worried priestess. "They're releasing me tomorrow," she offered.

Ayako sighed. "Oh, you," she said, sliding into a vacant seat near the bed. "Stop scaring me."

"Sorry," Mai said, apologizing. "It wasn't intentional, you know.

"Did you say they were releasing you tomorrow?" she asked.

"That's right!" Mai said, smiling.

"Who are they releasing you to?"

"Eh?"

"Someone's got to take responsibility for your well-being after they release you! Don't you know how these things work?" Ayako asked, encroaching again on Mai's personal space and glaring at her. Mai cringed and leaned away towards Lin.

_You stay right there, Matsuzaki-san, or Mai will find out the truth of this farce you're playing—by accident of course,_ Lin thought.

That seemed to communicate to the doctor who froze right where she was.

"I'm just going to go back to my apartment," Mai told her.

"Back to your apartment?" the priestess asked incredulously. "Oh, no! Absolutely not! You'll end up right back in the hospital again if you do! No, I've decided. You'll stay with me until Saturday."

"Eh!" Mai cried. "I can't do that! What about school?"

_What about my ears? _Lin wondered.

Ayako shook her head and stood. "You'll get your homework and class work from your friends, of course. All right, it's decided! In order to compensate me for being scared out of my wits—you will stay with me until Saturday! I'll go tell the nurses." That said, the priestess left the room before Mai could say anything.

Lin had to give her credit—that was smooth, especially since it had already been decided. _Now… if my ears would stop ringing… the world would be a much better place._

"Lin?"

Mai's voice startled him from his musings. He looked at her curiously.

"Sorry about that. Ayako's so pushy sometimes!"

"Don't worry about it—it's not going to get any better," he said grimly. "Everyone else is back."

The door flew open again, admitting Naru, Bou-san, Yasuhara, John, Ayako, and Masako.

"I guess they decided she was safe after all," Mai said, trying not to laugh at the mask over the medium's face.

_I guess,_ Lin thought, stifling his own laugh and sitting back to watch the chaos. It was safer that way.

_Saturday afternoon…_

Staying with Matsuzaki-san, Lin decided, had definitely done Mai well. He observed her with amusement, noting that the priestess had spoiled her charge rotten. There was a healthy glow to Mai's fair skin that came from rest, relaxation, and pampering. Her hair was pulled partially back and clipped with a simple but elegant barrette. The pale-pink sundress Mai wore flattered her petite body and the sandals added a nice touch. The Chinese man was certain that her entire wardrobe was now different. _But that's a good change,_ he knew. Mai needed to be spoiled a bit and Dr. Matsuzaki needed someone to care for and spoil. _The end justifies the means,_ Lin thought, watching her approach him with a soft smile.

"Did you miss me?" Mai asked.

"Things were quiet while you were with Matsuzaki-san," he agreed.

"What kind of answer is that?"

"A truthful one," Lin told her.

She pouted for a moment before a sly smile crossed her face. Before he could even contemplate what she had in mind, she stood on her toes, threw her arms around him, and kissed him. There was nothing innocent about it or the way she pressed her body to his. If he didn't know any better, or if he could actually think at that moment, he'd have wondered if Matsuzaki-san had anything to do with this. Her pulling away was something of a shock to him and Lin blinked to reorient himself. Mai staying with Matsuzaki-san, he decided right then, had been a very _bad_ idea.

"So…" she drew out, "did you miss me?" she inquired innocently.

Lin blinked again and tossed the priestess a nasty glare. Bending down, he whispered something in her ear and smiled when her jaw dropped and her face turned redder than a tomato. "But feel free to do that again as many times as you'd like," he told her, straightening. "I don't mind at all. In fact, I like the consequences even better."

Mutely, Mai nodded and he flashed a brief smile at her. "Come. The picnic spot is this way," he told her, taking her hand and leading her to the designated place.

"Taniyama-san! Lin-san! Over here!"

"Watanuki-kun, Doumeki-kun," Mai said, greeting them cheerfully. She looked curiously at the other two that were there. "I'm sorry. I don't think we've met."

"Ah! That's okay!" the brunette said, smiling at Mai. "Kunogi Himawari," she said, bowing from her spot on the picnic blanket. "Pleased to meet you!"

"Taniyama Mai. Same to you," Mai replied bowing back. She turned to the tall woman lounging comfortably in the shade with a glass of steaming tea. She was…cunning—a wily fox; beautiful but terrible. That was the best way that Mai could describe her. She seemed happy to meet them, but at the same time, there was a knowing look on her face that told Mai all she needed to know. A pinprick of fear ran down her spine looking into the woman's shrewd, red eyes. All at once, Mai knew exactly who she was and even had a brief inkling to what she was. "You must be Ichihara Yuuko-san, Watanuki-kun's boss."

"Yes, you may call me that," she said, nodding once. "It's good to finally meet you, Taniyama Mai-chan," she said, rousing herself to look the girl in the eye. Unconsciously, Mai shied away, not caring if she seemed rude—she didn't want… Mai didn't know what she was scared of or what she didn't want Ichihara-san to see, but… for reasons she couldn't explain, she just didn't want to meet her eyes directly. Lin's back suddenly formed a solid wall between her and Watanuki's employer. Mai found herself grateful for his interference and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Ichihara-san, what a pleasure to make your acquaintance at last," Lin said. "But…I don't believe introductions between us are in order, are they?" he asked, staring her in the eyes.

Mai and the others looked on in shock—it was unlike Lin to be so…hostile. His tone and words were as polite as ever, but there was something in his stance that made them all wary. If Mai looked- really _looked_, she would see that he was gathering power; his Shiki were glowing, ready to amplify his power. What she could see without having to _look_ was two sorcerers preparing to do battle. That was what the others saw, too.

_It's like he's preparing to cast some sort of spell,_ Ayako thought, shivering unconsciously. Looking over at Naru, she saw the teenaged president on his guard and frowning. _Is this woman that dangerous?_ Turning her gaze to the woman Lin had squared off against, Ayako felt a chill trail down her back. _Yes, _she thought, _she is. What __**is**__ she?_ A hand settled itself on her shoulder and she looked over to see the monk next to her. She felt her cheeks grow warm; shrugging off his hand, she turned her head away in a haughty gesture, missing his quick grin.

Yuuko's mouth curled into an amused smile and she eased herself back into the shade she'd been enjoying. "No," she replied, picking up her tea and taking a sip, "they aren't." Her ruby-red eyes focused on Mai who was still standing behind Lin. "My apologies to Taniyama Mai-chan; it wasn't my intention to alarm you. We're here to eat and drink! Watanuki, I want sake!" she crowed suddenly, looking at her employee.

"You're starting that already!" he shrieked at her.

"Of course!"

Relieved, Mai nestled her forehead into Lin's warm back and breathed out.

"It's all right," he told her quietly. "I don't think she intended to harm you. Still, you've only just recovered. It wouldn't be good for you to suddenly go back to the hospital." Moving slightly, he settled his hand on her back and led her to the picnic blanket, encouraging her to take a seat next to Takigawa-san and claiming the seat next to her. Naru joined him, forming a sort of half circle around Mai and she smiled faintly at the support.

"I'm Mokona Modoki! Shake!" a childish voice called.

Mai squealed when a black…something pounced into her lap. The SPR group stared at the creature curiously. It was small, round, and black, with black eyes and an odd, blue gem in the middle of its forehead. Even Lin's Shiki were puzzled as to what the creature was. Its long, floppy ears reminded Lin of a rabbit, but if that's what it was, it needed to go on a diet. "What are you?" she asked, looking down at the creature. _Is it a bunny? A pork bun? What is this thing?_ Mai wondered, gently patting it. She didn't dare poke it—if it was with Ichihara-san, chances were that if and when it was provoked, it would bite, whatever it was.

"Mokona is Mokona! Shake!" it said again, thrusting a small paw towards her.

Tentatively, she reached out and shook the tiny thing's paw and smiled. "You're so cute!" she gushed, picking it up and showing it to Masako, who smiled and patted the Mokona's head cautiously. It seemed to enjoy the attention and pretty soon had the ladies at its beck and call, leaving the men alone.

"That's weird," Bou-san said, watching the women. He took another bite of fried chicken, savoring it.

"It is, isn't it?" John said, watching them with a nervous smile.

"But that thing is awful cute," Yasuhara said, munching on a mixture of potato salad, macaroni salad, and coleslaw. "It reminds me of you, Takigawa-san," he told the monk with a sly smile.

"That again!" the monk exclaimed. "Haven't you given that up yet, young man?"

"No. Why should I? It's so easy."

The monk hung his head in defeat. "Just you wait, young man. One day, I'll definitely get back at you."

"Oh? We'll then. I'll be waiting."

"It's not dangerous, is it?" Naru asked Lin, taking a bite of biscuit. Mokona was sitting contentedly in Mai's lap and eating the bits that the part-time worker was feeding it, while Kunogi-san told the others all about the creature's exploits at a Hyaku Monogatari escapade she'd attended. The other ladies listened with rapt attention while Yuuko looked on with a gentle smile.

"It's not," Lin said, picking up his can of cold tea and taking a liberal swallow. "It's just sickeningly cute." Lin suddenly found himself at the center of attention when John, Takigawa-san, and Yasuhara-san turned to stare at him.

"Are you…" Yasuhara started.

"Could it be…" John found it hard to continue with Lin's glare.

"No way!" the monk said.

"You're jealous," Naru finished, smirking. "How the mighty have fallen."

"Does this mean you'd like to tell everyone the truth, Naru?" Lin asked.

"Lin!" he said, ignoring the clamoring from the other three asking what the Chinese man was talking about.

"You have your trump card; I have mine. We're even," Lin said, helping himself to another piece of chicken and macaroni salad.

"Are we… too late?" said a new voice.

All eyes looked up to see three faces—one new. Kanaguchi Masahiro and his sister Keiko had arrived. The older girl next to him was assuredly Megumi, the fiancée. She wasn't as tall as Matsuzaki-san, but she was lithe and statuesque—this was emphasized with the calf-length lavender skirt and white top that she wore. Her hair was long and blond and wavy and accentuated her gentle, gray-green eyes. Looking between the college students, Lin wondered how Masahiro had coaxed her into dating him period. Mai climbed to her feet and charged over to the older girl, throwing herself into welcoming, outstretched arms.

"Megumi-oneesan!" she said. "It's been so long since I've seen you!"

Megumi laughed. "Yes, it has. I've been busy with classes and my part-time job, which is acting as my internship."

"Where do you work?" Mai asked, leading her to the picnic blanket. The other two followed and helped themselves to the food.

"At a hotel. I work at the front desk," she told the high school student as she filled a plate with food.

"Megumi-oneesan is studying Hotel-Restaurant Management at Kyoto University," Mai told them. "Oh! I'm being rude, aren't I?" she asked, turning to her. "Let me introduce everyone to you. This is Hara Masako—you probably know of her."

"I do. It's nice to meet you in person, Hara-san."

"Next we have Matsuzaki Ayako—a shrine maiden," Mai said.

"How do you do?"

Smiling, Ayako nodded at the younger girl.

"Takigawa Hoshou," Bou-san said. "I'm from Koya-san."

"Oh. Are you a practicing monk?" Megumi inquired politely, noting his long hair.

"Part time, I am. My full time job is with a band."

"How lovely," she replied, smiling.

"This is John. He's an exorcist," Mai said, looking at the blond-haired priest.

"Really? That must be exciting."

"It has its moments," John told her serenely.

"This crafty-looking person," Mai said, motioning to Yasuhara, "is Yasuhara Osamu-san. He's a freshman at Tokyo University. Be on your guard and don't let him rope you into anything. If you don't believe me, you can ask Bou-san."

"Taniyama-san, you wound me!" Yasuhara cried dramatically.

Megumi laughed quietly. "You do have a cunning aura," she told him.

"This is my boss, Shibuya Kazuya," Mai said, introducing Naru. "We call him Naru for short."

"You're the boss?" came the incredulous question. "Oh, I'm sorry. I thought…" she trailed off, looking at Lin.

"Lin Koujo," the Chinese man said, introducing himself. "I'm Shibuya-san's assistant."

"Are you… you are…"

"Chinese. I come from Hong Kong, yes. I don't bite, Megumi-san."

"Again, I'm so sorry. Forgive the intrusive question… but are you the one Mai's seeing?"

"Yes, I am."

Mai shot Masahiro a dirty look. He shrugged as if to say, 'Don't kill me, please.'

"I see," Megumi said. "I heard from Masahiro that she was currently dating someone she worked with. I confess, I'm rather surprised that it's you."

"Why is that?" Lin asked.

"Many Chinese do not like the Japanese for the events of World War II."

"That's true. But it's stupid of me to include national problems in personal relationships, don't you think?" he asked, watching Mai smile.

"Yes… it would be," Megumi said, slowly. "Forgive my intrusion. It was none of my business. I'm sorry Mai, Lin-san, everyone," she said, bowing.

"Let me introduce you to everyone else," Mai said, grinning nervously.

The picnic continued on without a hitch from there.

_Later that evening…_

Everyone else had left. Bou-san took Naru back to the office and John took Yasuhara-san to his house. Matsuzaki-san took Hara-san home and Yuuko with her guests had left around four. Masahiro and Megumi had left shortly after to catch a movie and Keiko left too, saying she had homework to finish. Lin and Mai were left to themselves and they strolled contentedly along the path between the sakura trees. Spying a bench that was half hidden, Mai grabbed his hand and led him over to it. Curious, he followed her and sat down when she motioned for him to.

"I was going to ask you on Tuesday if there were any special foods you wanted me to make for the picnic, but I ended up in the hospital instead. I forgot to ask you, then, too."

Lin stayed silent and watched her as she opened up her backpack, took a wrapped parcel out and handed it to him. Intrigued, he untied the kerchief, revealing a beautiful obento holder. Separating the top from the bottom revealed an array of candied fruit slices that looked tempting. _How did she know that I like candied fruit?_

"When my father was alive," she said quietly, "he loved these things. I don't remember very much from then, but I recall my mother making this treat often; I used to help her when she did. I thought… that you might enjoy them, too."

He picked up a lime slice and popped it into his mouth, chewing thoughtfully. _Not too tart, but not overly sweet, either,_ he thought appreciatively. "One of my sisters also makes candied fruit. She uses honey, however. But I far prefer yours," he told her.

Mai blushed and curled up into his side, watching the sky as the stars came out. "I'm glad," she said quietly. When all the stars were out and twinkling, Mai lifted her face for a kiss and he obliged. _I'm content right here,_ she thought._ Let's just see what the future will hold for us._ She sighed when he deepened the kiss. _I think it'll be something exciting!_

-End.

And that's it for _Shades of Lust._ Thank you all for reading and reviewing and sticking with it. Thanks to everyone who influenced it and gave me ideas: notably, kagedreams, thisissong, aishoka, yamikakyuu, lkk-sensei, miss koneko, and everyone else.

If anyone is interested in drabbles, you are more than welcome to visit my writing journal for Ghost Hunt drabbles. Kyia Star's writing journal.

And a million and more thanks to my awesome beta-reader, TitianWren for her extraordinary work! Without her help and expertise this would have been an eyesore! I briefly considered posting the original, uncorrected master copy of this and thought better of it—I don't want to scare people away.

One last, quick note, I have a poll up on my profile page. Others have reviewed and asked if there would be a sequel. I will leave whether or not I write one up to you all, the readers. Please vote. If you'd like to drop by my livejournal and comment as well, you may do so. You'll find that link here: Poll Entry. It is a public entry so you don't have to worry about being on my friend's list. Thank you all for your input!

I'll see you all in my next story: a one-shot that's an extremely belated birthday gift for yamikakyuu. I did promise that as soon as I was done with _Shades of Lust_ I would finish her story. That's next so look forward to it! Sorry, I don't have any previews to give you all, but I can tell you this: Lin, Gene, Noll, England, and…well, that's all I'm going to give you. Not a word, Sayu-chan, or I'll never lend you Charlie again. XD

Kyia Star


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